Somewhere I Belong
by Indh13
Summary: Juvia Loxar was once a daughter of wealthiest family in Oak city. But after the bullying she received in Phantom Lord High School, she transferred into Fairy Tail Free School, a school which had a low value in societies' eyes after Makarov invited her. There she met many unexpected things, for example, her childhood prince.  It's an AU story. And I'm sorry first for my bad English.
1. Prolog: Girl Who Brings Rain

Hi, it's me again, Indh13 (*pronounce: In-Dee) (^w^)v. I read a novel and that immediately gave me an idea for new fict. Actually I'd finished this chapter since a month before but because I'm still hesitant about whether I should continue this or not, so I just keep it in my computer. This story isn't the first priority for me and the possibility of being hiatus is big enough. But, I'd like to share this. I barely see a GraJu fict (*okay, there are some, but they're in Spanish or France or even Portuguese! I cannot read them! XC) So recently, I started to think to publish it, just to see your respond.

Well, anyway, please try to read this. And please, oh please… leave me review if you read. I want to know what you think about it. The review may be anything! Even flames are warm-welcoming.

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

Rate : T

Genre : Friendship, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Drama

Pairing : GraJu, NaLi, LoLu, GajeeVy, ErJe and more pairing… I'm planning to,

Disclaimer :

I do not own Fairy Tail and all of its characters, but Author wish she could own Gray Fullbuster for her own XD (*yar wish~~~)

**WARNING!**

Perhaps, my story is OOC and Discontinue since this story isn't the priority for now. AU and OOC. Yeah, I mentioned OOC two times already. ('=_=)?

***Fairy**Tail***

Prolog : **Girl Who Brings Rain**

It was raining. No one would willingly spend their time outside unless they wanted to get all wet and cold. But in a silent park we could see a little girl being surrounded by three little boys. We could hear those boys insulting her. She looked so pitiable. Her clothes were covered in dirt and mud, wet from the rain. She had some small bruises here and there. She sobbed while covering her face with her arms, that was supposed to protect her face. Nevertheless, those little arms also got some wounds, so weak and limp in that state. The little girl cried harder and the rain poured harder as well, as if it cried with her. One of the wick-little boys pushed the poor little girl backward, making her lie on muddy ground along with her scattered books from her little blue bag.

"Jeez, you rain girl! Give us back the sunny days!" one of the boys shouted and kicked the little girl's foot that he could reach without any effort.

"It's because of you we have rain all day!" shouted the other. "It's because of you that we cannot play outside again!"

The girl twitched and tried to speak between her sob. "Ju- Juvia doesn't know how this thing could happen. Ju- Juvia doesn't intend to make rain pour do- down like this. Please don't hurt Juvia more…," she whined. A boy tcked and picked up a rock. He made a stance to throw it. The little girl's eyes widened seeing what would happen.

"You're annoying, rain monster!" the boy threw the rock straight toward the girl who addressed herself as 'Juvia'. The little blue-haired girl closed her eyes as the rock was thrown toward her. She then heard a thud voice but didn't feel anything hit her. She dared herself to open her eyes and saw a boy at about her age stood in front of her. The mysterious boy held his opened-umbrella in front of his body like a shield. Juvia saw the rock that was supposed to hit her fell uselessly onto the ground. This mysterious little boy had protected Juvia, he had saved Juvia.

"What the hell are you doing?" yelled one wicked-boy angrily. "Why did you save that rain monster?" he pointed his dirty finger toward Juvia. The latter girl twitched and looked away, while the mysterious boy tilted his head aside.

"What's with the rain monster? After all, you aren't supposed to throw a rock at her. You might kill her. And then, three boys against a little girl?" the mysterious boy said sharply and held his umbrella properly again, to shelter from rain.

"She deserves to die! She's a monster that made rain pours here every time!"

The mysterious boy blinked before burst to laugh, "Hahaha! What the heck? Rain monster? There's nothing like that, idiot! Hahaha!" he continued to laugh uncontrollably. The wicked-boys stared at him in disbelief and also angrily.

"Stop laughing! That's true! Wherever she is, rain will always pour down. Because of that we don't have any sunny days since she is here!"

"That doesn't make any sense," the mysterious boy said after regained his composure, wiping his watery eyes with one of his thumb. "How come a girl like her attracts rain? Ah, maybe it's because of your cruel way threatening her that makes the rain always pours down?" the boy smirked mockingly.

"Ha! You're the one who said that so that's mean you also believe in she is a rain girl!" shouted a boy in triumphant. The little girl lifted her head as a little disappointment stabbed her heart again. She thought she'd finally met someone she could rely on, someone who didn't believe in such a ridiculous thing like a girl who brought rain. But it seemed she hung her hope too high.

"No, I think it's a good thing if the rain cries along with you," said the boy calmly. Juvia stunned and really lifted her head higher, so as the wicked-boys. "So that's mean you have a loyal friend who understand you since it's crying whenever you're sad. It gives its sympathy for you" the boy smirked.

Juvia froze. She was touched from that boy's words. Meanwhile, the wicked-boys couldn't hold their anger anymore so they stormed forward to attack him. But the kind boy immediately closed his umbrella and swept their feet with it in a flash move, making all of them fell onto the muddy ground, face-first. They whined in pain as sobbing quietly.

The mysterious boy put on his mocking face, "Crybaby"

"Grr! Damn you!" shouted the only one who was standing—he should be their boss. He attacked the mysterious boy again. However, a punch landed on the aggressive-attacker's face instead.

"Yo- you! I'll tell my mama!" he cried loudly and ran away, his friends followed behind.

The mysterious boy laughed again and shouted back, "Yeah! Go there and call your mamas, cry-baby freak!"

"A… ano…" the little girl spoke hesitantly. The boy turned around and surprised seeing how bad the girl's condition was.

"Oh my, you hurt so badly," he kneeled down and grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket. But his white handkerchief was all dirty from paint. The boy remembered if he used that handkerchief to clean his dirty hand during art. He threw the handkerchief away and used his long sleeves to clean the girl's face in the end.

"Wa- wait, no need to do it, Ju- Juvia can do it by herself. Beside, it can make your clothes dirty." the girl blushed. But the boy didn't stop cleaning her dirty face. Sometimes he would mutter something like, "Crazy idiots, doing this to a little girl. How cruel". Or something like, "What's with the rain monster? These days?"

The girl gave up. She just enjoyed the comfortable feeling of the boy's warm hand gently rubbed her face.

"Well, at least you look better than before," said the now-smiling boy. The little girl blushed again and bowed her head. But then she slightly lifted it to see her savior's face clearly. He was a boy with dark messy hair, raven in color actually. His face was cute, kind of pale and looked more gorgeous with a warm-gentle smile plastered on it. He was in the same age as her and wore a simple navy blue shirt with a black short. He carried a side-strap bag, dark blue in color with some pattern that was having dark color. The umbrella he held protecting both of them from rain although actually it didn't too necessary again since them both had been soaked wet.

"Are you okay? Is it hurt in anywhere?" asked the boy. The girl shook her head gently. The boy sighed in relieved then gave his own umbrella to the girl who accepted it confusedly.

"What are you doing?" she asked slowly when the boy picked up her scattered books.

"Come on, we have to go from here. Rain isn't good for your health. You can catch a cold," he said and gave her the books.

"Thank you," the girl mumbled slowly. He replied with another grin.

"Err… do you have umbrella," the boy asked. The little girl looked around. She remembered she brought an umbrella, she _always_ brought umbrella. It might be drop somewhere when she was being bullied by those boys. She couldn't see her umbrella anywhere.

"Juvia thinks she lost it," she answered slowly. "Don't worry, she doesn't need it after all," she added, pointing at her already-wet clothes.

The boy shook his head in disagreement.

"No no! You have to use umbrella or you will catch a fever. Here, just use mine and walked home soon," he said and handed his dark umbrella to the girl.

"Bu—… but…" the girl protested.

"What's your name?" the boy asked.

The girl blinked but answered, "Juvia… Juvia Loxar,"

"Well Juvia, I don't know whether the rain-girl thingy is true or not," the boy shrugged. Juvia stiffed because the boy still discuss about the rain thing, something she would gladly avoid to be talked about. "But… I think I know the way to make day sunny again," he winked excitedly. Juvia looked at him curiously.

"What?" she asked. The boy grinned widely.

"It's easy. Try to be cheerful. I think sky will smile as well when you're smiling. It cries because you cry for sadness. You know, you have such a good relationship with the rain," the boy smiled and looked up toward the still pouring rain. Juvia stared at him in disbelieve and also in awe. Smile. She'd never smiled. She was always sad and gloomy. So that's why sky also cried and gloomy?

"Err, I must go now," the boy excused. "Bye, Juvia. Don't forget to smile, okay?" the boy ran without his umbrella and waved his goodbye. Juvia then remembered something.

"WAIT!" she cried. The boy stopped and looked at Juvia.

"What's your name?" she asked loudly.

The boy smirked and shouted back, "I'm Gray Fullbuster. Nice to meet you," he smiled widely and ran again.

"Gray…" Juvia said slowly then shouted loudly toward the boy named Gray, "THANK YOU!"

Gray raised his hand, told Juvia that he could hear her. Juvia stared at the boy for long before she felt her lips curved. She wondered what was happened with her lips. It was strange but also felt good. Smile. Juvia Loxar was smiling. The rain poured lighter and Juvia stared at the sky. For the first time in her life she saw a sunny sky. Those dark clouds slowly went aside, allowed sun to shine. Grey sky turned into the blue one. The sky was finally cheered up, smiling, along with Juvia Loxar.

"Thank you, Gray…"

***Fairy**Tail***

Too short, huh? No wonder, it's the 'prolog'. And what do you think about it? Lame? Good? I know Gray was OOC here but, he was still a little boy, right? Ah, I forgot to mention that in this chapter I put Juvia and Gray in the same age, 10. And I know if I described the wicked-boys too much since they're too sadist for their age, ohohoho…. Sorry for that, (^^)a

I took the title from Linkin Park's song, '_Somewhere I Belong_' (*And so I disclaim that Linkin Park and anything related to it isn't mine)

Thanks for reading my fict and so sorry for my bad Grammar and Spelling, English is my second language (*actually it's the third. LoL. Who care after all?) And please give this amateur author some good or bad feedback. So she will know whether she should continue this or not. It depends on you guys… more review, more spirit to continue… hehe…

Dadah~~~…. ('Bye Bye' in English)


	2. Chapter 1: The Poor Princess

I-Don't-Believe-In-This! I really don't! I finally update this story! X) At first I thought that I would never touch this story ever again, why? First, I'm working on another story. Second, I have a really big writer's block. Third, school. And fourth, I got not enough reviews. I thought that people having no interest with my story =(

But, guess what. Day before yesterday (*is there any word like that in English? LoL) I checked my mail while usually I really raaaaaarrely checking it. And I found some fav alert and story alert for this story, Somewhere I Belong. It made me quite happy and at once I got a motivation to write it! The idea suddenly came into my mind and my fingers were so itchy to write XD So here it is, the second chapter.

However, still, this story isn't the priority of mine. So although it isn't discontinued (*for now) but I think it will take sooooo looong to publish the next chapter. Hope you don't mind of that.

And, I want to say my great thanks to **Sheyria** and **Its2dark2read** for reviewing the previous chapter. Well, Sheyria, I'm sorry for saying that this story is hiatus anyway… =9

***Fairy**Tail***

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

**Disclaimer** : Fairy Tail and all of the character isn't mine. I'm merely a fans of Gray Fullbuster and cannot hold the urge to write a fict about him. And 'Somewhere I Belong' by Linkin Park isn't me either. Though I believe if you had known it already ('==)a

**Warning** : Has high possibility of being hiatus. It will take so long to be updated. OOC. AU. And also a horribly English grammar and spelling.

***Fairy**Tail***

Chapter 01: **The Poor Princess**

Fiore is a big country in the Earthland continent. And there was Magnolia, its third biggest city. So then, this story is focused on the east side of the city.

There was a building that looked like a school. It was as big as a normal school could be, well, actually it was a bit smaller. It was cream-colored and a bit touch of white for the visible pillar made it looked more comfortable and gave the warm impression. In front of this building was a medium-sized garden that was decorated by mini yet neat bushes and small trees in every three meters of distance. And this building and the garden were surrounded by a big fence made from concrete wall. From the sight of the building, people would say that it was just a normal school. They were right, but at the same time, they were wrong.

A girl at her seventeenth was looked standing at the front gate of the building. Her short blue hair was gently brushed by the wind. She looked hesitant to take another step forward. Her left hand was gripped her school bag while the other one was gripping the gate chopper fence. She took a short glance toward a long vertical board that was hanging on the front side of that fence.

Fairy Tail Free-School.

Free-School. A school that was _free_ from doing anything. Study or not, it depended on the students' decision. Taking the test or not, it depended on the students' decision too. Even the school holiday was decided by the students themselves. It sounded so free and also… _wild_. So no wonder if this kind of school got a bad impression from society.

'_Is it right to choose this school instead of Phantom Lord Academy?_' the girl mentally wondered. As realizing what she'd said, the girl shook her head hardly.

"No! Juvia had made her decision. So it's now or never!" she said to herself and lifted her head up. The sight of the building in front of her made her suddenly nervous. "She has to at least try."

Biting her lips, she slowly took another step forward.

Anyway, how could this innocent-like girl come to this wild-like school?

***Fairy**Tail***

Phantom Lord Academy. It was the most prestigious school in Fiore, located in its town called Oak city at the west of the country. It was the most respectful school, filled by elite community. Those student who attended that prestigious school should be quiet rich, had high intelligent, or had awesome talent which were too precious to be wasted. You were a very lucky human to be capable in entering that school.

It was about a month earlier. Juvia Loxar, one of the students from that school, was walking across that prestigious school park when suddenly a bucket of cold water poured onto her from above. The blue-haired girl yelped in surprise and soon, she heard a burst of laughter from above. So Juvia looked up just to see five girls she believed in the same class as her giggled and laughed openly. One of them was holding an empty bucket where the water was coming from.

"What…" Juvia stated dumbfounded that was responded by another burst of laugh from the five.

"You have to see your own face, lady Juvia. It's priceless!" mocked one of them. Juvia stayed quiet. Her heart was actually burning from anger and sadness. However, she knew that it was unnecessary to challenge them back. It was just waste of energy. So she decided to patiently wait for them to finish.

"Listen up, Lady Loxar," stated the other, emphasizing at the word of 'lady'. "Don't act all big and mighty just because you rejected Lord Bora. For you to know, no matter what happen, Lord Bora is us!" she said sharply and her friend threw the empty bucket before turned around, leaving the scene.

Juvia sighed. She moved a little so the bucket didn't hit her. Looking down at her soaked-wet body, she took out her handkerchief that miraculously didn't turn wet and rubbed her face with it. Mentally she cursed about the previous scene. And in the end, she started to curse the certain guy named Bora who was the cause of all the discrimination and bullying she received in this school. Yeah, _All_. It wasn't rare that she was poured by water from above, her locker was glued by super-glue, her books were torn up, scattered and being scratched with stupid words.

It was all because of that jerk named Bora. He was at the same grade as Juvia and he was quite popular with girls in this school. But Juvia swore that it was because this Bora guy had some charm to make all girls turned crazy toward him—but still, things like that was impossible, right? No one knew what kind of disaster that'd come over Bora that made him confess to Juvia. Everyone was surprised but mostly of the girls hissing angrily. They, who were supporting the soon-to-be couple cheered Bora and persuaded Juvia to accept the confession. However, Juvia who knew the real intention of Bora and also, after saw the way Bora's fangirls reacted, rejecting the idol of the school in instant.

Bora soon turned down. But Juvia didn't feel sorry to him at all since she knew that the Bora guy just wanted her family wealth. Juvia's family was actually really rich and the most respectful family beside the government family. Her family owned some big companies in Fiore. So no wonder if there would be so many people who wanted to be closer to her just because of her wealth. And this Bora guy was one of them.

If Juvia thought that rejected Bora would make her free from any risk and harm, then she was wrong. Juvia just didn't get what was those fangirls were thinking. They got angry when Bora confessed to Juvia, so Juvia thought if she rejected him and they didn't become couple, then everything was settled. Those fangirls could have their idol back and Juvia wouldn't be considered as a boy-taker. But in fact, it was the opposite. Juvia rejected Bora and the fangirls blamed her for making Bora's heart broken. They hated Juvia because she made their idol all sad. What's sad? Juvia wanted to laugh in the most sarcastic way here and rolled her eyes in annoyance. Really, those fangirls' behavior was getting on her nerve. However, she couldn't express her annoyance openly. She had to keep her cool. Why? Because she was a 'Lady', a daughter of a big-rich family, an heiress from a really big-rich family.

Since then, Juvia spent months in the school being bullying. Even her state as the daughter of an honored family couldn't help her from receiving the bullying. Nevertheless, she guessed that she had to be more grateful that all the bully she got was considering 'gentle'. Juvia remembered if there was another bullying in her school where a poor student was locked in the bathroom after being poured by gasoline. She then was being threatened to be burnt to death. Luckily the teacher immediately found them before that student was really burnt to death. That kind of bullying was considering 'brutal'.

Despite all the bullying she got, she'd never bothered to consult it to anyone. _Just wasting energy_, she thought. Even thought she got no friends in the end since everyone were afraid if they became the new 'target'. But Juvia didn't care. Actually she was sick with all of the arrogant people she met there. So being alone was better for her.

She'd also never showed her suffering expression. She had promised to someone to keep smiling, keep cheering on. No matter how hard the bullying was, she wouldn't cry or beg to the perpetrator. She would smile or if it was too impossible, then she would put on her innocent face, acting as if she was oblivious about what happened to her. Juvia was wearing a mask. That was right. And Juvia knew that it was really hard. Hiding your true feeling wasn't an easy deal. Though she was smiling, though she was acting all dense, but she wanted nothing than to cry for this injustice that happened to her. But, could she?

"You looked so depressed there, child."

Juvia turned around as hearing a voice behind her. But it turned out that she didn't see anybody.

"Who…?" Juvia asked to the empty air confusedly. Until she heard a deep cough, asking for her attention from below. So the blue-haired girl looked down and saw the one who talked to her just now. He was a (really) short old-man with white moustache and white hair. He looked so friendly and so… charismatic. Juvia couldn't find any right word to describe him. Anyway, Juvia'd never seen this foreigner before.

"Oh…, I'm so sorry for not noticing you before, sir…" Juvia said politely and bowed respectfully. As a student from prestigious school, she had to show good manner. Especially, to outsider, so her current-school would get a good impression.

"Oh… no need to be that formal…" the small old-man waved his hand impatiently. "Anyway… what was happening to you? I there was no rain, so why are you soaked-wet?"

Juvia just calmly bowed again as replying the old-man, "Ju-… I mean, I just happened being poured by water from above. It's just an accident and it isn't too serious." She lifted her head slowly as spreading a smile across her face.

"I see…" the old-man stated slowly but without Juvia noticing, the old-man was staring at her with his sharp-examining look.

Just before Juvia excused to go, the old-man sighed as if he was feeling sorry for something.

"Child, you don't need to put on your mask in every occasion. You need to put it off sometimes and show your true face to the world." The old-man stated. Juvia blinked for the comment while the old-man himself was smiling a genuine smile, a warm-sincere smile Juvia'd never seen was giving to her before.

"E- eh…? Juvia stuttered, again, acting all oblivious about the words.

"I saw the whole scene," the old-man told, much to Juvia's surprise. "And as far as I know, no one could act all oblivious after something like _that_ happened to them." He said again, stabbing Juvia right at her heart.

"Wha- what…?" Juvia stuttered, still denying the truth of what that old-man said.

Instead, the old-man smiled warmly again, "You don't need to lie to your own heart. If it was sad, then say sad. Don't say something sad fun. Let your tears do what they're supposed to do."

The girl's eyes widened, those words were touching her heart. But after a few second in silence, Juvia's eyes caught a sight of dark cloud crept closer. Her eyes softened then she bowed her head, hiding her face.

"If Juvia cries, Juvia will makes the sky cries as well," she murmured slowly, not noticing if she addressed herself as the third person again. It was such a habit of her. "Rain makes people depressed and Juvia is afraid making people depressed,"

"Sometimes, rain isn't a bad thing at all," the old-man stated, making Juvia immediately lifted her head up and stared at the old-man disbelievingly. "Don't forget that rain also can bring life. Rain is a need. So, don't stop the rain to pour down."

"Your emotion is like that too. Don't stop it to pour down from your heart in order to make your heart lighter. It's a need." He added.

It had reached the limit. After the last word being spoken, Juvia felt something warm rolled down across her cheek. Tears. It had been years, seven years since she last cried, since she last shed her tears. And it had been years since the last time sky cried along with her, feeling her emotion. Juvia squatted down and hid her face inside her knee as sobbing loudly. She cried out all of her heart content. She cried, pitying herself for being bullying for something that wasn't her fault. She cried, pitying herself for having no friends. She cried, pitying herself for being a poor princess.

The old-man stared at the crying girl in front of him. For she was squatting now, the short old-man finally could reach her head. So he gently patted her head in comfort. Not bothering by the fact that rain made his suit soaked wet and made him feeling cold. He wanted to comfort the girl. By letting her cried was the best solution.

"My name is Makarov Dreyar," said the old-man after Juvia slowly stopped crying. The rain also turned lighter. Juvia looked up and saw the old-man named Makarov stared at her straightly with those kind-looked eyes.

"Come to Fairy Tail, there, you don't need to shed any tears like what you did here,"

***Fairy**Tail***

That was it. Makarov, who actually was the headmaster and also the owner of Fairy Tail Free-school, offered her to come to his school. At first Juvia was confused to accept the offer since she had heard that Fairy Tail was a free-school, a school that had a low value in the eyes of society. What'd the world say if they know that a daughter from honored family went to a lower-class like this? Her family also against her decision to leave Phantom Lord Academy for Fairy Tail. In addition, Fairy Tail was located in different city from their home, Oak city.

However, Juvia kept insisting. Finally her father gave up and let Juvia did what she wanted. In one condition, her family would stop giving Juvia money. She had to struggle by herself. Juvia gulped for the condition. But after she remembered the way Makarov looked at her, talked to her and comforted her. After she could see that Makarov was promising her something, happiness and freedom, she decided. She would come to Fairy Tail Free-School, no matter what happened.

Fortunately, Juvia had some saving so she thought it was enough for school and her daily fee. So as soon as she managed her transfer from Phantom Lord, she moved to a city named Magnolia, to a school named Fairy Tail. Once she came to the city, she immediately found a good yet cheap enough apartment. It wasn't big, heck, it even wasn't as big as her previous room. But considering the cost, Juvia was so grateful for finding it. Yet, she had to find a part-time job to gain more money. Her saving wouldn't be enough for three months.

Juvia was too deep in her thought that made her bumped into someone hardly. Juvia was surprised and fell butt-first onto the cement floor.

"Ouch…" she cried as rubbing her butt.

"Watch where you're walking, woman!" snapped a husky voice harshly. Juvia twitched for the rudeness.

'It's you who have to watch here you're walking!' Juvia growled back mentally. But it was impossible for her to say it out lout. It had been another habit of her to keep her cool and also her innocent-like manner.

Juvia, still sitting on the floor, slowly looked up to see the clear sight of the rude guy who was still standing straight in front of her with both of his hands were inside his pocket. She saw a pair of black-and-white sneakers then a pair of grey pants that similar with her grey skirt, having thin-black vertical line as the pattern. She looked up again and saw if this person was wearing a long-sleeves white shirt that was rolled up right above his elbow. The shirt was unbuttoned so Juvia could see his sixpacks and well-build body. Juvia couldn't help but blushing seeing it. She saw a glimpse of silver thing hung down around his neck as she abruptly moved her gaze from his body to his face.

And when she saw the face, her jaw slightly dropped open.

This guy had a paler skin for the boys' standard, but it wasn't too pale, it was kind of… tan. He was… well, handsome actually if he didn't put that scary expression. His eyes were dark-colored, almost black like onyx. And his hair had the color that looked suit with his eyes, raven, like the skies of the night without stars. His hair was messy and a bit long but it somehow suit him. Juvia knew this person.

"What are you looking at?" the boy snapped at her again, making Juvia blinked. This attitude of him shocked Juvia. _'It isn't right'_

"So- sorry!" Juvia squeaked, standing up and stared at the boy's face again carefully. The boy looked uncomfortable from the look Juvia gave. However, Juvia ignored his uneasiness and kept scanning the face. That face… it wasn't a mistake! Juvia was really sure of that. It was _him_.

"G- Gray… Fullbuster…?"

The boy Juvia called raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?"

***Fairy**Tail***

I finished this story for about two days. Huwaa… So I didn't re-check the grammar and the plot properly. I think—and I'm sure—if I miss something in this story but I couldn't figure out what. Well guys, if you find the mistakes I made, whether it was the grammar or the plot or about the character, feel free to tell me and then I'll change it asap.

Hmm… I'm quite sure if I made Juvia OCC here. But, what do you think? And one little thing I want to tell you that although Juvia is the main character of this story, but it isn't Juvia's problem which are the mayor thing here. It's another character's (*you know what I mean, right? '^^?) And as for the uniform, I took it from Fairy Tail OVA-Fairy Tail Academy. Gray was exactly same as at the OVA but he unbuttoned his shirt and he wore the usual necklace instead a tie. And… was he wearing his bracelet? So then, in my story Gray was also wearing it. Oh~~… I just love Gray's sense of fashion! It was simple but cool XDDD. While Juvia? Her uniform was also like what she was wearing in OVA and her hair was short and straight, like her hair-style when she was first joining Fairy Tail in the anime, Kawaiiii! X]

Oh yeah, about the free-school. I'm not sure if there's really a school like that. A school where you're free from doing anything. I found this term in a manga and immediately found it suit as the setting of my fict. Well, whatever… TT'

And again, I'm so sorry for the grammar. If you find difficulties in reading it, blame me! XC English is my third language (*Do you believe in that ;D) I'm thinking to search for a beta reader. But considering the possibility of hiatus… *shrug.

Please review… so I'll know whether I should continue this or not. More reviews, more spirit to write more. See ya and… thank you for reading~~ \(^^)/


	3. Chapter 2: Fairy Tail Free School

Hello… meet me again in this third chapter. It took long enough to be published, huh? Sorry~~~… but I'm afraid that it will be much later for the next week since I have my mid-term test for the next week. So I doubt that I'll be able to touch my PC. ==,

I'm kind of disappointed because I only got one review for the last chapter. Mou~~… do people have no interest in GraJu pairing? XC But, screw it up. I'll keep continue this as far as I can. Nevertheless, there's still a warning of hiatus for this story X9.

Anyway, I want to say me greatest thanks to **Its2dark2read** for the review. Yeah, your review gave me spirit to write more ^,^ So, I think I'll dedicate this chapter for you XD. Enjoy….

***Fairy**Tail***

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

**Disclaimer : **Fairy Tail and all of the character isn't mine. I'm merely a fans of Gray Fullbuster and cannot hold the urge to write a fict about him. And 'Somewhere I Belong' by Linkin Park isn't me either. Though I believe if you had known it already ('==)a

**Warning** : (*I like writing this part X9) This story may be OOC, error spelling and grammar since I'm not a native English speaker, AU and the most important is; this story isn't the first priority, so the possibility of being hiatus is quite high.

***Fairy**Tail***

Chapter 02: **Fairy Tail Free School**

"G- Gray… Fullbuster…?"

The certain boy Juvia called raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?"

Juvia gasped from this question, but soon, she got her composure again.

'No wonder he doesn't remember Juvia anymore. It has been seven years after all… and beside, Juvia's hair and appearance have been changed.' Juvia sighed inwardly. But she had no intention to give up.

"A- ano… we met once… seven years ago. That time Gray…-san saved Juvia from a bullying. And also…" instead of continuing her words, Juvia let a shy smile spread across her pale face and she inwardly said, '…_Gray-san taught Juvia to smile and make Juvia's gloom cloud went away_.'

Gray stared at her before let out an 'oh'.

"So… so Gray-san remembered Juvia?" the girl asked excitedly but Gray just nonchalantly walked pass her.

"Dunno'" he stated coldly.

The slender shoulder of the young lady lowered sadly. For seven years she had waited for her encounter with the kind boy who helped her in the past. It should be a fate she finally saw him in this school. But Juvia was kind of disappointed seeing the cold reaction from that 'kind boy' that was supposed to be her childhood 'prince'. Where was the warmth of the boy gone?

"I see…" Juvia mumbled softly toward the boy's back but her saddened eyes were fixed on the cement floor. She couldn't blame Gray thought for forgetting about her. For God sake, it had been seven years and also… what was she said about the change? But Juvia was still so sad about change of her childhood prince, about the change from warmth to coldness.

"You changed your hairstyle"

The girl lifted her face up in surprise for hearing the statement of that cold boy. Gray was standing few feet away from her, back facing Juvia. He looked hesitant at what he was about to do. In the end he shrugged and said, "I remember it was being rolled up"

Juvia's face brightened. 'Gray-san does remember Juvia!' she yelled mentally.

"Ye- yes…!" the blue-haired girl turned around so her whole body was facing the boy's back. "Ju-…" before she could finish her sentence, she heard a furious yelled from the inside of the building.

"GRAY FULBUSSSSTEEEEERRRR! COME BACK HERE, YOU CLASS-SKIPPERRRR!"

"Shit!" the raven-haired teen cursed while looking at the source of the yell.

Juvia turned to see it as well. All she could see was just a glimpse of yellow, white and grey color. If it was a human, how fast it could be. In a second, Juvia heard a 'thud' following by a groan from Gray. The new student turned again to the riot source and found Gray lie on the ground with a whip tip clung around his foot. And in front of him stood a short, blond-haired girl wearing the same uniform as Juvia. But the blonde's was a long sleeves shirt that was being rolled up like Gray's. She also didn't wear the yellow sweater like Juvia. She wore a pair of short boots, chocolate-brown in color. Hey, was boots allowed in this school? Oh, yeah, sure. It was a free-school after all.

"Where do you think you're going, Fullbuster?" said the blonde teen in triumphant. She playfully pulled the whip she held so Gray's feet being jerked as well.

"Stop it, Ashley! And it's not your business on what I'm going to do!" Gray snapped as shifted his position into a better one.

"Of course it's my business here, Fullbuster! Do you forget who I am?" the girl called Ashley snapped back. She pulled the whip again quickly and harshly—looked like she like to do it—making Gray's feet jerked again. Gray hissed, demanding the Ashley girl to stop.

Ashley glanced to Juvia who she noticed just a second ago. The blue-haired teen twitched under the blonde's glance.

"Who are you?" Ashley asked.

"A-… ano… Ju-… I mean, I'm Juvia Loxar. I'm the new student here from today" Juvia bowed. Ashley made an 'o' with her mouth.

"Ah, since you're a new student, you surely want to meet master, right? Don't worry. I'll take you to his office." Ashley turned her body to face Juvia properly and gave Juvia a grin. Juvia smiled back, relieved that she found out that Ashley was actually a nice girl thought she looked rather violence.

"Come on, Gray. I'll bring you to class as we-…" Ashley pulled her whip and surprised as realizing if her whip felt much lighter that before. She looked at her whip and saw that Gray wasn't tied by the whip again. Instead, she saw Gray ran passed the gate in a surprising speed.

"GRAY! COME BACK HERE, YOU—… ARGH!" Ashley yelled desperately as stomping her foot angrily.

"Juvia is sorry… I mean, I'm sorry. Because you talked to me then Gray-san was able to escape" Juvia apologized guiltily. Ashley turned her attention to the new student while stroking her delicate fingers across her short-blond locks.

"Nah… it's okay Juvia. It's not your fault after all. Gray is always like that." Ashley waved her hand as neatened her whip and securely hung it on her belt. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself, right? Sorry… I'm Lucy Ashley. Nice to meet you." Ashley grabbed Juvia's hand and shook it. Her eyes which were brown like honey—but it was a bit darker—gleamed with excitement. And for Juvia to just looking at it, made her spirit up. What a strange sensation, huh? Ashley's hair was blond in color, it only reached her nape and she wore a small skull-like hairpin.

"Lucy Ashley… so that's mean, Ju- I can call you Lucy-san?" the blue-haired teen asked excitedly. Ashley smiled.

"Actually I prefer to be called Ashley." She stated and invited Juvia to come inside the building. "Come on, Juvia. I'll take you to master's office."

"Master?"

"Well, he's the principal of this school. Some call him master Makarov, Gramps… even old-man, like that Gray" Ashley chuckled. Juvia made a silent 'oh' with her lips.

"Looks like master Makarov is a kind person…" Juvia stated in astonishment thought she'd known it. First impression never lied. Ashley nodded in agreement.

"Yup, he is. But I warn you one thing, he's a big pervert." Ashley added in a serious tone. Juvia blinked.

"Eh?"

"Just see it by yourself…" Ashley teasingly winked, making her new blue-haired friend shivered. This reaction of Juvia's made the blonde burst to laugh.

"My… don't worry, Juvia. If he tried to do something inappropriate to you, don't be hesitant to smack him off. We used to it after all…"

"O- okay…" Juvia stammered nervously.

"By the way… you know Gray? Because… hmm… he isn't a kind of person who would tell his name easily to a stranger. So it's rather surprising that you know his name," Ashley asked curiously.

Juvia shrugged, "It's a kind of long story…"

"I can wait to hear that later. We're in master's office now…" Ashley pointed at the name board that hung above their head. It spelled 'Principal Office'. And Juvia realized if they'd stopped in front of a big wooden double-door.

"Well, go ahead," Ashley tilted her head toward the door.

"Ashley-san, can you please wait for Ju- I mean, can you wait for me here? I'll make sure it doesn't take too long. I'm alone here and it makes me nervous…" Juvia pleaded. Ashley gave another smile and nodded.

"Sure. I have nothing to do after all…"

"Thank you very much, Ashley-san!" Juvia gratefully squeezed Ashley hands before walked into the principal room.

The so-called principal room was so simple. It's cream-colored and not too big. The furniture was mostly chocolate-brown or black in color to make a good balance with the pale-colored wall. On the other side of the door where Juvia stood, there was a big table with a board name of 'Principal' on it. There were also a laptop, and some utensil or anything you could find on a table of a principal. Behind the table was a comfortable chair and there sat the short old-man Juvia met before, Makarov Dreyar the Principal.

"Excuse me…" Juvia called. The latter lifted his head from the laptop and saw Juvia standing by the door. At once, the old-man's face turned bright and greeted Juvia back.

"Oh… Juvia-chan, welcome… welcome…" Makarov cheerily pointed a chair in front of his desk, signaling Juvia to sit there. Juvia shyly walked toward the chair. Slightly confused by the way the principal welcomed her. Calling his student with honorific '-chan'? It was… out of normal.

"Good morning, sir." Juvia bowed politely before sat on the chair. Makarov chuckled for Juvia's action.

"No need to be that polite. Anyway, call me just 'master Makarov' or 'Gramps'. 'Sir' seems didn't suit me well." he said kindly.

"But—…" Juvia confused. Makarov waved his hand.

"We are family here. Politeness isn't needed here. We just have to be close and be open. Isn't it what a family has?" Makarov smiled that made Juvia stunned in awe. Really. This principal was different. While other principal—like Phantom Lord—would act all big and mighty as if they were a king, but Makarov didn't. He even expected to be treated lower than his true status. As if he wanted to be his student's father.

"Sure, Master…" Juvia smiled back. Makarov looked satisfied with his new name from Juvia.

"Anyway, Juvia-chan… ready to meet your classmate?" Makarov took out a paper from his drawer and handed it to Juvia.

"Sure…" Juvia replied shortly. She saw at the paper and found that it was the map to her class and the whole school building, her schedule and also her class.

"Err… Master…" Juvia called as noticing something unusual from her schedule. "Why Juvia has too many break times?"

Makarov raised an eyebrow in confusion. But after a realization hit him, he chuckled lightly. "They aren't 'break' time, Juvia-chan. Those are your free times."

"What's the difference?" Juvia sweatdropped as Makarov chuckled again.

"It's a period when you're free for doing anything. As for break time, it's a time when you may take a break" Makarov explained. Juvia dumbfounded stared at him but she nodded in the end.

"Well, you'll understand when the time comes. As for now, you can go to your class."

Juvia immediately stood up and bowed lightly before turned around.

"Oh, and Juvia…" Makarov called quickly before his new student totally left the room.

"Feel free to show the true you," he said casually, but Juvia knew if the meaning beyond those words was quite deep. Juvia smiled in respond.

"Sure, Master. Thank you,"

***Fairy**Tail***

"So, did master do something to you?" Ashley asked in amusement as seeing Juvia walked out from the room. Juvia giggled.

"You lied. He's nice," responded the blue-haired amusedly. Ashley pouted.

"I didn't lie. Well, indeed, there's a time where his perverted side awaken. I guess this time isn't the time" she shrugged. "Come on, I'll take you to your class."

"You know where Ju-… where my class is already?" Juvia asked disbelievingly as following the blonde along the corridor. Ashley nodded in respond.

"You're a second grader, right? Same as me then. Here, this way," Ashley turned toward another corridor. "You know, this school only has one class for each grade. So, your class is obvious." Ashley explained and giggled when saw Juvia's reaction.

"You must be kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not," Ashley winked. "Anyway, it's the time for you to tell me about how you could know Gray, right?"

Juvia hummed as thinking where she could start her story from before said, "It was about seven years ago…"

***Fairy**Tail***

A place where you felt like you could reach the sky with your hand.

That was where a teen named Gray Fullbuster now, doing nothing but lie on a cool cement floor. His hand absentmindedly stretched upward as if trying to grip the blinded sun that looked like a small ball in front of him now. He sleepily stared at the clear-blue sky. Blue. It somehow reminded him to a girl she met just last morning. Her hair was blue too, like this sky.

What was her name again? Gray supposed to remember it very well now since that girl mentioned her own name over and over again since she was addressing herself as the third person.

Juvia… yeah, that's it. Her name was Juvia.

And where Gray had ever heard that name? He was sure if he had once heard that name. Far before he met her today.

That girl said seven years ago. Did they meet seven years ago?

Actually Gray remembered something about her. He was unsure if it was really seven years ago or not. But he remembered the same hair color as Juvia's. He also remembered the unique style of that hair, rolled up in the end. Gray let his mind wandering around and he saw a glimpse of the blue hair owner, a cute childish face, pale with a pair of dark big orbs. The last time he saw that face, it was covered with dirt and mud, also wet from the neverending rain.

He then slowly closed his eyes, ready to dive into the dream land.

'_Ah, yeah. That little girl…_'

***Fairy**Tail***

"I see… aww, I'd never though Gray would be that adorable when he was a little" Ashley commented as holding her giggle. Juvia also smiled dreamily.

"Yeah… he's Juvia's savior… Eh, err… I mean, he's MY savior." Juvia said abruptly. Ashley looked at her in confusion.

"Seem like you like to talk as the third person," the blonde commented. Juvia blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry… it's a bad habit," she said sheepishly. Unexpectedly, Ashley burst to laugh.

"That's okay. I cannot see the oddity in speaking as third person. Instead, I find it unique and interesting. Oh, you'll be surely fit here. This place is full with a unique people." Ashley winked.

"But Juvia's father said that it's inappropriate…" the blue haired teen murmured sadly. Ashley waved her hand dismissively.

"You are you, your father is your father. That's freedom if you know what I mean." Ashley grinned. Juvia lost her words as digesting her new friend's words. but then her smiled widened and she nodded.

"Sure. Thank you, Ashley-san!"

"Throw away the honorific, please…" Ashley sighed. "Just called me Ashley. I prefer that way."

"Okay…" Juvia nodded again. "But Ashley, if you don't mind me asking, why you prefer to be called Ashley instead of Lucy?"

The blonde girl smiled meaningfully before answered, "You'll find it out if you meet my friends."

It took not so long time to reach Juvia's new class and at the same time, Ashley's class.

"Here we are…" Ashley pointed at a blue slide door in front of them. On that door attached a board name that said; Second Grade. Juvia looked around the corridor and saw two other class rooms. In front of the second graders class, there was a similar door that led to the third grader class. While on the right side of second grader, there was a class for the first grader.

"ALL of the class rooms are in this corridor?" Juvia's eyes widened from the realization. Ashley chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, what do you expect then? This school is small. But beside the class rooms, we have many club rooms." Ashley sighed. "As if there will be many student register here,"

"I see…" Juvia muttered.

"Let's come inside," Ashley invited and harshly opened the door.

"Ashley! What do you think you're doing? People who're studying inside will be disturbed!" Juvia yelped in horror seeing Ashley harsh move and the loud sound from the door. But the blonde teen ignored her.

"Ashley, we were you?" asked a hoarse voice from inside the room. Juvia couldn't see the face because she was hiding behind Ashley's back.

"Like usual, Gildart-sensei. I was chasing Gray." replied the blonde casually.

"Oh, so did you manage to catch him?" asked Gildart.

Ashley rolled her eyes, "Like usual. He has a pair of pretty fast feet."

"I see…" came the reply from the teacher. "That's Gray for you to know," he added in amusement.

Juvia hesitantly peeked from Ashley shoulder. Since the blonde was a bit taller than her, so she had to tiptoe. At once Juvia saw a middle-age man with mud-color hair. He had moustache and beard that wasn't shaved cleanly. However, that man who were supposed to be Gildart-sensei looked friendly and nice.

"Who is she?" Girldart asked curiously after seeing Juvia. The blue-haired girl abruptly showed herself and bowed respectfully toward the teacher.

"A— ano… name's Juvia. Juvia is the new student here."

"Oh, so you're the chick Makarov talked about last morning? I see… I see… come inside, please miss…" Gildart smiled and waved his hand, inviting Juvia to come inside.

Juvia then walked inside the class room, following by Ashley who went to her seat immediately.

"Okay, Juvia-chan. Can you please introduce yourself to us? Tell us your name, likes, dislikes… anything." Gildart said and nodded as the signal for Juvia to start. Juvia turned to face the class that suddenly become quiet for her appearance. At first, the blue-haired girl gasped seeing the condition of the class.

'_What a small amount of the class!_' she gasped mentally.

In that class there were only about fifteen students in total. Less than half of Juvia's old class that could reach the number of forty. But then Juvia remembered what Ashley said back then.

'_This school is small_'

Taking a deep breath, Juvia began her introduction with a smile.

"Hello, name in Juvia Loxar. Juvia is from Phantom Lord Academy." She said as friendly as possible. But she was wondering when she got a gasp of surprise and whisper from every corner of the class.

"You're from Phantom Lord? For real?" asked a girl with grey-colored hair and wearing glasses in shock. Juvia blinked in confusion for their reaction.

"Yes, Juvia is…" answered the latter.

"What are you doing here?" asked another student. Now was a boy with spiky pink hair. From his voice Juvia could tell that he was furious. Suddenly the new student got a bad feeling.

'_What is Juvia doing here? And what's with this cold reaction?_'

***Fairy**Tail***

Yeay! Another chapter finished! So my lovely readers, what do you think of it? In my story I add Edo-Lucy or Lucy Ashley. Why? Because I like her and I need her! ^^ However, she and Lucy Heartphilia aren't the same person. Heck, they even didn't relate by blood or anything, completely stranger. So how come? They had the exact same face. Humm… who cares? X9

And also, can you guess who was the 'grey-haired girl wearing glasses'? She was 'Laki Olieta', another minor character from Fairy Tail. I like her, too. Too bad that she rarely appear.

Okay, that's all. I hope you enjoy it and I'm sorry for any mistakes about this story, like the grammar. Sigh… Anyway, please review and tell me if I made any mistakes…. XC


	4. Chapter 3: The Rooftop

Finally! An update! Wooooo…! But sorry for the late anyway. I was so busy with my mid-term test, and then I have to practice for my art-and-culture practice test in dancing and also I have to finish my English task in making a video. Beside, I was having a writer's block during the process. Huft, that's annoying, really.

Well, at least I finally made it. and this chapter is longer than I'd expected.

And thank so much for the reviews guys, from GrayFullbusterisMine, Its2dark2read, and also for cata fullbuster. You guys made my day ^^ And thanks too for the alerts, I really appreciated it X3

***Fairy**Tail***

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

**Disclaimer**: Fairy Tail and all of its characters are Hiro Mashima-sensei's, not mine (*how sad)

**Warning**: Hiatus, OOC, Error spelling and grammar. I didn't do the re-check, SORRYYYYYY….! XC

***Fairy**Tail***

Chapter 03: **The Rooftop**

"A- ano… is there any problem if Juvia is from Phantom Lord?" stuttered the new student. Worry was clear in her face and voice once she heard those refusing reaction. She looked around, searching for her friend. She found Ashley sat by the window with the same shock that indicated furious in her expression.

'_Oh My Goddess! What's Juvia getting into?_' the blue-haired teen cursed mentally.

"Of course it is!" said the pink-haired boy who had been standing up from his seat. "Don't you know that Phantom Lord is our enemy?"

"Enough, Natsu!" warned a blonde girl who sat behind the pink-haired boy called Natsu. Juvia blinked as seeing the new blond-haired girl. She looked A LOT like Ashley. The face, hair color, eyes. The only difference was Ashley's hair was much shorter. However, for now, Juvia had no time to think about those similar blond girls. She had something more urgent to be worrying for.

"Eh, Phantom Lord and this school are enemy?" mumbled the shocked Juvia, barely audible. No one heard her since they were too busy whispering to each other, except for the teacher who watched his students' antic in slightly amusement and also tiredness. In the end, Gildart let out an exhausted sigh.

"Okay, class. Listen to me for a sec." he said as standing up. "This Juvia Loxar is indeed a student from _that_ Phantom Lord Academy" Gildart continued and pointed at Juvia. Everyone in the class fell silent. "However, for you to know. Miss Juvia is here now, because master invited her to. In other word, she is recommended by our own principal. So, you have no reason to… well, treat her different just because she's from _that_ school." Juvia slightly twitched when Gildart said her previous school with different tone, yet no one realized it.

"Beside, I think we've discussed it already that the rivalry bond we had with Phantom Lord has nothing to do with the students from each school. And didn't you see her reaction when you said that we're enemy? She knows nothing, I bet. So you guys don't need to act like that." Gildart's eyes scanned the room where his students bowed or put on expressionless face in surrender before added, "Well, for the last, treat and welcome Juvia well. And Juvia, you may take your seat now," Gildart turned to her and kindly smiled toward the blue-haired girl. Juvia sheepishly nodded then nervously walked toward an empty seat in the corner of the room. She would lie if she said that the glance her new classmates threw to her didn't bother her at all.

After a very long tense minute walking to her seat, Juvia exhaled in relief as she did putting her bag on the wooden desk. She just wanted to greet the classmate next to her when she realized if every single of them ignored her. They would looking everywhere but her, even Ashley, her new close friend _earlier_, who prefer to watch over Gildart with his lesson instead giving Juvia a simple supporting like; wink or waving a hand. Juvia limply sunk into her seat.

***Fairy**Tail***

A tall-thin middle-aged guy just entered the principal office of Fairy Tail Free School without even knocked. His expensive coat fluttered as he walked toward the owner of that school. Fury expression was clear on his long-shaped face.

"Ah, Jose, long time no see," Makarov welcomed without even lifted his face from his work.

"Knock the formalities off, Makarov." the new-comer called Jose growled, doing nothing to hide his anger. "Now tell me, what the hell is this?" demanded Jose as walking closer to principal's desk. Makarov lifted his head even slightly and glanced at his guest reluctantly—not because he was afraid, but because he was feeling kind of disgust with this old-friend of him.

"What's with 'what the hell'?" Makarov asked back shortly before continued his writing.

"How dare you steal my asset, Makarov! Don't you know that she's pretty important for me?" Jose rudely slammed the desk. But Makarov seemed didn't be affected by it.

"Your asset?"

"Juvia Loxar! I know that you incited her to join this useless school and left my prestigious one. And I know that you're also aiming for her wealth." Jose snapped furiously. Makarov completely lifted his head up and stared at his everlasting-rival in fury though his face remained calm.

"Three things for sure, Jose." Makarov said calmly. "First, I did not steal her or anything like what you think. I indeed invited her to come but never forced her to. It's her own will to decide."

"Second, I never aim for her family wealth. Don't you remember that my school is _free_? I even don't insist my student to pay for the school fee. And for your information, Juvia's family has stopped giving her money for some reason. In other word, she doesn't have that 'wealth' you're talking about." Makarov said. Jose gritted his teeth at this.

"And third." Makarov continued, shot Jose with his sharp glance. "Juvia is not your asset. She's a mere little girl who is searching for her own freedom to show her true self. She isn't your gold of purse."

Jose had enough. He angrily smacked the desk until some of the principal's belonging were falling from the desk onto the marble floor.

"Don't you dare to act all high and mighty just because you've gotten her, old man! I swear that she will soon regret her choice to move to this trash school instead of stay at my honored school." Jose exclaimed, making his white-haired rival rolled his eyes.

"I cannot wait" Makarov said sarcastically.

With a 'huff', the Principal of Phantom Lord Academy turned around, ready to leave the room.

"Oh, wait a sec, Jose. I forgot to tell you something" Makarov calmly called Jose back. The latter stopped his track and glanced at his caller in reluctance trough his shoulder. He saw Makarov's expression sharpened.

"Don't you ever dare to call this school trash, bastard. Students in this school are as precious as the students in that prestigious school of yours. They also have the future and dream. Just because my students have some problem with their background, doesn't mean that you can insult them with the word 'trash'." Makarov stated furiously though he let his composure as calm as possible. However, Jose noticed if Makarov's knuckle were becoming white. The red-haired guy twitched for Makarov called his 'bastard'. However, he let out a mocking voice.

"Yea, yea. Free to speak there, Makarov." said the red-haired sarcastically before closed the door behind him. Makarov exhaled deeply in anger as staring at the door before back to his work.

"Being so arrogant here, as usual Jose" he muttered exasperatedly.

***Fairy**Tail***

The current period had ended. The atmosphere in second-grader class had been back into its usual after Gildart stepped out from the class. Chatter could be heard from some group of students and some of them were walking out from the class. Seemed like they forgot about one certain person.

Juvia nervously looked around. Everyone still ignored her and acted as if she didn't even exist. The new student saw Ashley chatted in front of the class happily with her friends. One of them was another blonde who looked exactly same as her. Juvia started to wonder, were they twins? The blue-haired newbie did not realize that she had stared at the short-haired blonde for a couple of minutes. Until she found that her gaze and Ashley's gaze were locked for a millisecond before the blonde abruptly turned her head away in slight disgust.

Juvia felt a sudden pain on her heart seeing Ashley's action. She could not understand it. Just an hour ago they were a good friend and Ashley treated her very well. And now, just because a small fact about her previous school could make an extreme change. People ignored her, Ashley ignored her. They acted as if they hated Juvia. This new opinion didn't help Juvia's feeling at all. She could not get her fault here. If both school were indeed an enemy or rival or what, then, how come it had anything to do with her?

She came to this school and left Phantom Lord because she wanted to taste the freedom, to free from humiliation she received in Phantom Lord. But, what now? Juvia felt nothing change. She was ignored here, and it was same as a humiliation.

Juvia bowed her face and realized if some tears had dropped down from her eyes. And from the nearby window she could hear that drizzling rain started to fall.

'_Oh, no._' Juvia muttered inwardly as abruptly wiping her wet eyes. '_Juvia may not cry. Juvia may not make this nice sky cries now_.'

Managing to stop her cry, the bluenette took out her schedule and saw that she had the 'free-time' for now. Juvia didn't care anymore about what was 'free-time' exactly. At least, she had one period to free doing anything. So she decided to leave the class and sought for some peaceful place where she could mediate about her situation. Juvia abruptly stood up and rushed toward the door, didn't realize that everyone's gaze were on her. She even didn't hear one of her classmate who was a male teen with strawberry-blond hair and wore a pair of blue-tinted eyeglasses called for her as she reached the door.

As wiping her eyes from the tears that threatened to roll down, she blindly walked to nowhere. Nowhere, as far as her classroom. She just needed a peace and be alone… for now.

***Fairy**Tail***

Drip. Drip.

Twitch.

Drip.

Twitch.

Drip. Drip.

The boy's eyes fluttered open as the feeling of cool water drop hit his face. Still sleepy, his eyes immediately met with the now-cloudy skies. How strange. He was totally sure that it was a pretty nice day earlier. The weather changed so fast.

Groaning, he sat up in annoy since his peaceful sleep was interrupted by the drizzle. The raven-haired teen sat still for a minute to fade his sleepiness, letting the droplet of rain gently hit his bare skin. Little did he know that this rain was… unusual. He could feel sadness from the rain and he felt like he recognized this kind of rain. Though he couldn't remember what.

Just before he decided to go down, he heard a door cracked open and slammed shut beneath him. Curious and surprised because it was unusual if somebody else came there at this time, well, except Natsu who was quite rare to do so. The pinkette preferred to spend his free-time in the pet shop where he had a part-time job as a shop and animals keeper. The raven-haired teen tried to take a peek down and saw a blue head in front of the door beneath him. He frowned as he recognizing those hairs.

'_Juvia? What's she doing here?_'

***Fairy**Tail***

"You're supposed to take at least one club activity instead of taking a part-time job in the school time." said a shoulder length blond-haired girl to her pink-haired male friend named Natsu. The latter just gave the blonde an innocent look.

"It considers as my club activity too," he said. "You can call it as my preparation for my future life, Lucy." Natsu grinned cockily while crossing his arms behind his head. "Beside, I can earn money from this job and the work is fun too. It's quite an advantage, huh?"

The blond-haired girl called Lucy sighed, "Yeah, sure."

Lucy saw her other friend, Ashley, absentmindedly staring at the door. Lucy looked at the door as well and saw a glimpse of blue hair disappeared through the slide door.

"What are you looking at, Ashley?" Lucy asked her friend who looked a lot like her though they weren't related by blood.

Ashley was being snapped up from her thought and abruptly turned to her classmates.

"Er…, no, nothing." she said.

"You were looking at that new student." Natsu exclaimed. At once his expression changed into the serious and furious one. "Why are you looking so care about her?"

"I'm not." Ashley frowned in annoy toward the pink-haired boy who raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

"She's crying." stated another voice behind Ashley.

The three looked up to find one of their classmates with strawberry-blond hair and wearing a pair of blue-tinted glasses walked toward them with a concerned expression.

"Don't you think we're going to far to her?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked nonchalantly. The other boy shot him a glare.

"She's just moving here and you all had treated her rudely. That's what I mean."

"She's from that Phantom Lord." Natsu reasoned. His anger ascended.

"So what if she's one? At least she isn't a Phantom Lord anymore." Stated the strawberry-blond guy in annoy.

"Enough, boys!" Lucy exasperated breaking their argument off. "There's no point in arguing about that matter now—…"

"Loke is right…" Ashley said absentmindedly, cut Lucy's words off. The three turned to her in surprise.

"Eh?"

"Juvia, that girl isn't as bad as what we're thinking just because she was a Phantom Lord student. I've talked to her this morning and she is a sweet girl actually" the blond girl said without looking at her startled-friends. Guilty was clear in her face but her friends were unaware of that.

"So what if she's actually a 'sweet' girl? It doesn't change the fact that she was a Phantom Lord" Natsu said offensively. At once Ashley crept out a dark aura and then…

"BRIDGE BACK ATTACK*!" Ashley yelled as attacking Natsu with her well-known technique.

"Ouch! Stop it!" the pinkette cried out as his strict blond friend stretched his arms backward and pushing his back to the opposite direction. Both Lucy and Loke sweat dropped seeing the violence Ashley did though actually they were used to it.

"It's up to you then! But I'm going to look for her and make everything right again. I don't care if she's from which school and I don't care either if you against my decision. See ya!" Ashley said determinedly and ran toward the door, chasing the blue-haired new student. She was unaware of Loke smirked at her and shouted,

"Good luck"

***Fairy**Tail***

Juvia was panting slightly. She ran wherever her feet brought her to and ended up in this place. She leaned on the door and noticed that she was on a roof top. She saw drizzle closing the view and Juvia immediately realized that she was once again crying.

"Ugh, why is Juvia so sensitive today," the bluenette murmured as wiping her eyes with her hands. "Juvia may not cry."

The girl gave up on her knees and sat on the cement floor. She flipped her knees and hugged it then buried her face in it. She actually didn't want to but her sob was unstoppable now. She cried out her heart content which was just disappointment and sadness.

Why everything turned up like this? Juvia wanted to be free from being hated. But now, she just came into another place where she was, once again, being hated.

"World surely hate Juvia." the mourning-girl said her thought out loud in misery.

"I think I'd told you to keep smiling, hadn't I?"

A husky voice said, startling the blue-haired girl. She lifted her face from the hollow of her knees and sought for the voice source. Juvia confusedly looked around but saw no one. Not until she notice a glimpse of grey color above her. In order to get a better view of her mysterious caller, Juvia walked away from the door she was leaning on. She looked up at and saw a familiar boy leaning onto a big barrel of water on the roof top**. His arms were crossed on the chest while he was staring lazily at the girl. The drizzle that hit his frowning-face seemed did not bother him at all.

"G- Gray-san…?" Juvia claimed frantically.

"What are you doing here?" Gray asked nonchalantly.

Juvia lowered her gaze. She didn't know what to say. It was somehow impossible if she said that she was humiliated indirectly by her classmates.

"Nothing."

The raven-haired boy raised an eyebrow, dissatisfy and disbelief were clear in his face. "So then, why you were running here, slamming the door shut hardly that waking me up then sobbing loudly like a little girl?" said the boy monotonously. "Also, what's with this rain?" he added slowly, barely audible that might not being heard by the latter girl.

Juvia slowly blushed but stayed quiet since she still didn't manage to arrange her words. Gray, however, didn't force the girl to talk. So after some second in silence, he decided to try continuing his sleep. The drizzle had stopped after all.

"What's so wrong with Phantom Lord Academy?" Juvia mumbled in the end. Gray who weren't falling asleep yet open his eyes even so slightly to see the gloom-girl sat next to the door beneath him. Her knees were being hugged again, but now, she didn't bury her face nor let tears streamed down her eyes.

"Why so?" Gray asked with the same monotone way. The bluenette girl didn't give her reply right away. Once again, everything turned quiet.

"Because Juvia is from that place."

Gray felt his body tensed and automatically shot a sharp glance toward the girl—looked like every single student in Fairy Tail Free School had had a same reaction of turn cold toward everything related to their rival/enemy, Phantom Lord. However, the latter didn't notice the sharp glance toward her.

"So you're in an awfully big trouble here." stated the boy coldly.

Juvia who felt the coldness twitched but she managed to put on a small smile.

"Yeah, Juvia know it already." she said sadly. "Juvia had witnessed the impact for being a former-Phantom Lord student here. It's like… as if, Juvia is in the enemy's territory yet Juvia cannot get why she is considered as the _enemy_."

The silent-boy moved his head so he could see the better view of the girl. His coldness slowly melted, shifted by pity as seeing the limp figure two meters and half beneath him. Gray didn't need Juvia to tell him the whole detail of her problem right now because Gray was able to figure it out easily. Gray was like the other students of this school. Their feeling toward that certain prestigious school was same, unbearable, full of hatred. Even though they were in a different town and even though the students had no right to involve in this rivalry-bound actually. But, yeah… somehow they just had the same feeling. They were a 'big family' who shared their feeling to each other.

"Why did you move here instead? From the super high-class school into this lowest standard of school. It was nothing but awesome." Gray mocked. Juvia did not mind the sarcastic. Instead, she answered sincerely.

"Juvia want to feel the freedom. Master said that Juvia can get it here."

For the second time, Gray's body tensed because of the girl.

"_Freedom_, huh?" the boy snorted. "So have you found that freedom?" he asked, slightly mockingly.

"Don't know… yet." Juvia replied unsurely, ignoring the mocking tone. "Anyway, what's with this rivalry between this school and Phantom Lord?"

The boy didn't answer for a moment before he shrugged and replied briefly, "Nothing really. Just some stupid reasons."

"Seem like, Gray-san doesn't want to tell Juvia." stated the girl straightly.

"Indeed."

Juvia exhaled tiredly. "Isn't there something Juvia can do to fade their hatred toward Juvia?"

"I'm afraid not" Gray answered immediately.

'_That's a quick answer_' Juvia sweat dropped.

"Anyway, what's so wrong being hated?" Gray stated half-day dreamingly. Juvia shot him a glare.

"You can easily say that because you're _not_ being hated by anyone!" the girl snapped, much to her surprise since she always managed to control her temper. But instead of flinched for the sudden outburst toward him, the raven-haired boy let out a smirk instead.

"_Not_ being hated, eh?" he snorted in amusement. Okay, that wasn't a respond Juvia expected after her outburst. Suddenly, the boy straightened his body 'till he sat straight and looked at the girl's lifting-face he was talking to. Then he spoke in a sudden sharp tone and also the cold one,

"Don't talk as if you know the real me."

The blue-haired girl blinked in confusion and also, surprise. She looked straight at the boy's eyes. Although he remained calm, but Juvia could tell the anger look was shooting toward her.

"Juvia is sorry," she murmured slowly and turned her gaze away from the boy's. It wasn't like Juvia didn't want to know nor not feeling curious about Gray's statement earlier. However, it wasn't the right time to ask and Juvia was unsure if she had a right to know.

"Seriously, what's so wrong being hated?" Gray repeated his question in a grunt voice. "As if you'll die from it. After all, _not_ everyone hates you. I'm sure of that."

"Juvia wants to believe it." the girl respond in a low voice though she felt a foreign relief, deep within her heart.

Suddenly the door behind Juvia burst open harshly, revealing a girl with short blond hair looked around, panting heavily. Juvia heard Gray above her hissed a, "Crap" that made Juvia remembered if Gray was running away from Ashley for skipping class. However, the blonde herself seemed didn't notice another presence on the roof after she spotted Juvia sitting beside the door.

"Juvia!" the blonde called, relief and guilt were mixing together in her voice. The latter blinked her eyes in surprised for the sudden change of her friend's attitude.

"Oh, Juvia. I'm so sorry!" Ashley approached Juvia and hugged the blue-haired girl, making Juvia's eyes widened. Ashley released her hug and stared straight at Juvia's dark orbs before stated seriously.

"I'm so sorry for my attitude in class at you earlier, Juvia. I'm just… well, surprise knowing you were once a student of Phantom Lord. I know that you think it's stupid or childish for acting like that just because of a super small fact, so I'm sorry for that. Gildart is right. We shouldn't involve ourselves into this stupid rivalry with that school, and for the worst, we involve you who know nothing about this matter and put all fault at you. Oh, I'm sorry Juvia. Do we possibly be a friend again?" Ashley pleaded.

Juvia stared at the blonde in front of her with jaw dropped open in amazement. Ashley looked at her in worry but then Juvia cracked a smile.

"Of course, Ashley! Juvia is so happy that Ashley doesn't hate Juvia." she said happily and hugged the blonde again. Ashley chuckled as patting her friend's back.

"There's no way I would hate you, silly."

A certain male boy watched the both girls from above. A small smirk played on his face as he leaning on the water barrel. Actually he was preparing his escape since the arrival of Ashley who surely would hunt him once she found out Gray was there. But, his curiosity forced him to watch the drama for a while.

'_Ugh, why do I care anyway? It's somehow so out-of-character of mine._' grunted the raven-haired boy in annoy though he kept watching both girl hugging and apologizing to each other.

Before he realized it, Juvia lifted her face up and mouthed something to the boy on the roof top.

'_Thank you. You're right. Not everyone hates Juvia'_

Ashley noticed Juvia's gesture and curiously followed Juvia's gaze toward the rooftop above them. And what she saw was a certain teen she was chasing after last morning standing dumbfounded there, staring back at the blue-haired girl frantically, as if he didn't know how react or to speak. Though the sight of dumbfounded-Gray was so rare and interesting, there was only one thing passed trough the blonde's mind that time.

"GRAY! SO YOU'RE HERE ALL ALONG? COME DOWN HERE AND BACK TO THE CLASS, CLASS-SKIPPER!" Ashley yelled and took out her whip. Gray was awaken from his trance and yelped as realizing that Ashley—the one he wanted to avoid the most—found out about his presence.

"Damnit!"

Juvia giggled seeing the duo arguing in such a loud voice. Now she felt everything would be easier with Ashley by her side and Gray who was—in her opinion—indirectly concerned about her. Fairy Tail Free School sounded not too bad after all.

***Fairy**Tail***

Hope I put everything in the right place. Though I know that Juvia and Gray are quite OOC here. I don't know about Ashley so I'll leave it to your opinion. So sorry if you found something redundant here, I'm in the fault…

***A/N**: I'm not quite sure if Ashley technique was called that way for real. But you can see that technique in the anime episode 80—if I'm not remembering it wrong.

****A/N**: okay, I admit I have no idea how this thing's called. There is a small building on a roof top where the stairs is in. It's like the school buildings in manga. Every roof top of those schools is surely having this 'small-building'. The mysterious boy was sitting on the roof top of this small building and I put a giant barrel of water on it too. It's the highest place of Fairy Tail Free School building. I don't know whether you'll understand my explanation or not. Blame me and my lack in English. And if you somehow know what this 'small-building' called, I'll be very happy if you tell me ^^

Sorry again for the miss spelling and grammar. I did not do the re-check of this chapter first *bow*

Okay… see you guys in the next chapter. review, okay? ^^


	5. Chapter 4: Introduction

It had been what? Forever? Sorry for the late. I got some problem with my other story and I became miraculously lazy with this one, temporarily =9 (*What on earth I'm blabbing about here. Well, just ignore it =P)

Anyway, I'd like to thank **GrayFullbusterisMine**, **Gray-Mochi**, **JamminKitty**, **fire fist storm**, **Its2dark2read**, **cata fullbuster** and **Tsukushi Tomoi **for the reviews! Really guys, you made my day! Love ya! XDD And also for silent readers who prefer to immediately add this story into your alerts, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I Love you, too….

***Fairy**Tail***

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

**Disclaimer** : Fairy Tail is fully not mine. Hiro Mashima legally owns it.

**Warning** : Hiatus, OOC, Erros spelling and Grammar (*I'm so sorry for that).

***Fairy**Tail***

Chapter 04: **Introduction**

"I'm Loke Celestal, pleased to meet you, Juvia." Said the strawberry-blond-haired boy as shaking the hand of Juvia and smiling seductively. The blue-haired girl sweatdropped upon seeing the action.

"P- Pleased to meet you too," Juvia nervously replied and shook the good-looking boy's hand as well.

"There, there… stop flirting with her, Loke. Don't you see that she's feeling uneasy with you?" said the long-blond-haired girl, sweatdropping.

"Oh, does my dear Lucy feel a _bit_ jealous?" Loke snickered, emphasizing at the word 'bit'. The girl called Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Oh, as if." She muttered between her breathe. "Sorry, it's such a natural habit of him," Lucy told, tilting her head toward Loke.

"Juvia is okay with it." Juvia said, smiling at the blonde.

"I'm Lucy by the way. Lucy… Heartphilia." Said the one Loke called Lucy. Juvia furrowed her temple as Lucy's name felt so familiar to her.

"Wait! By 'Heartphilia' you don't mea—… humph!" Juvia stated in surprised but Lucy covered her mouth before she could finish her words.

"Pssst… please, Juvia, not now. Ok?" hissed Lucy in panic, warning the new student. Juvia confusedly nodded then Lucy released her hand over Juvia's lips, ignoring the look of curious and suspicious she got from two of her friends nearby.

"But, how could you two have so many similarities? You look like you're twins." Juvia asked finally after she couldn't hold the urge to ask any longer, pointing from Ashley beside her to Lucy in front of her. "Not to mention… you also have a same name."

"Yea, such a coincidence, huh?" Ashley said cheekily. "We have no idea as well. But one thing for sure is, we both are complete stranger, aren't related by blood or such. I'm from Edolas while Lucy is from Crocas city."

"Oh, so Lucy is from the capital? That's surprising." Juvia said as if she was startled but quietly she sent a look to the long-haired blonde. Lucy shrugged nervously and once again ignoring the quizzical looks she received from two of her classmates.

"And Ashley is from Edolas…" Juvia continued, half-absentmindedly. Ashley just gave her a comforted smile. In Fiore, Edolas was known as one of the poorest cities. Edolas was a city where government couldn't reach by their finger to give a help. The access to that place was quite hard and the electric power supply was also in danger. Not to mention the number of crime was higher there since that place was pretty isolated.

"Beside, I think it's the time to answer your question last morning, about why I prefer to be called Ashley instead of Lucy? You see, Lucy and I have a same name and face. It would be so confusing if both of us are called 'Lucy'. Lucy refused being called 'Heartphilia', beside, it's too long. So in the end, I'm the one called Ashley while Miss Heartphilia is called by Lucy." Ashley explained as winked teasingly at Lucy. She knew that Lucy hated being called by her last name. Lucy just pouted as muttering something like;

"Stop with the _Miss_ Heartphilia thing!"

Everything was going better afterward. Few minutes ago, Ashley managed to drag Juvia and threat Gray to come along though Gray mysteriously disappeared as they walking through the corridor, making Ashley exasperated so badly. However, Ashley continued to bring Juvia to the class in order to make a proper introduction with the whole class. But since the class was empty already, both of them were just being welcome by Loke and Lucy who intentionally waiting for Ashley.

"Alright ladies, I think we have enough about the introduction. Now shall we go to our own business?" Loke asked.

"I'm going to the library. Levy-chan must be waiting for me there. I need to find more reference books anyway" Lucy excused.

"How could you girls being so comfortable around that many of books?" Ashley muttered that was replied by a smug smile from Lucy.

"Here we are again, something about allergic."

"That's true. My whole body suddenly feels itchy inside the place called library" Ashley shuddered that was followed by Lucy rolling her eyes.

"I come with you then. I need to find something in the library as well." Loke said.

"What about you, Juvia?" Lucy asked. Immediately the latter blinked.

"Eh? Err… what Juvia has to do?" she asked in slight panic as moving her gaze from Ashley to Lucy to Loke and back to Lucy.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you don't know about this school's system yet." Ashley slapped her temple as remembering her stupidity.

"Do you know what 'free school' actually means, Juvia?" Ashley asked and when Juvia replied with shaking her head, she continued. "Well, this school is rather different than normal school. We aren't following the so-called proper education standard. Even master always said, 'Screw up with the standard!'." The short-haired blonde chuckled. "We study, indeed, but not in the way other schools do. This school frees us, the students, to study the way we want to."

"So then, this school gives us 'free times' where we can do whatever we want. Mostly student take it to learn more about the things they want to learn." Loke said, helping Ashley in explaining thing.

"But some of them use it to play around, like that bastard Gray." Ashley added in annoy hiss.

"Err, sorry… what does it mean?" Juvia furrowed her temple.

"Ideal or dream. They use those free times to learn about anything relate to their ideal for the future. Let's take an example from Lucy. She wanted to be a writer so she spends her free times to learn more about literature and such." Loke explained as playfully patting Lucy on the head.

"Stop it, Loke!" Lucy hissed and shoved the boy's hand away from her head.

"That's mean… we study by ourselves?" Juvia asked in disbelief but at the same time, in awe.

"You can say so. But if you need it, you can consult with the teachers and ask for their help to teach you." Loke replied.

'No wonder the school fee is quite cheap' Juvia said inwardly.

"Though it sounds so improper, but you better not to underestimate this school system." Lucy added. "Even though we have lacks in academic, but we get much better in certain field we interest to. I believe that it's more important for our future than academic, if you know what I mean."

"Juvia can see the point here," she slowly nodded. "Wow, this school seems fun. It's free!"

"Hahaha… this school won't be named 'free school' for no reason." Loke winked.

"So then Juvia, what you're going to do now?" Ashley asked. "As for me, I'll do some patrol. If I were lucky, I'll be able to catch Gray."

"Juvia is not sure yet…" she mumbled. "Maybe Juvia will be at the library with Lucy and Loke. Can Juvia?" she said after glanced at them.

"Sure." Said Lucy cheerily.

"Okay then. We meet again at lunch?"

***Fairy**Tail***

In the library Juvia met Levy McGarden. A petite girl with wavy-blue hair. She was a nice girl and also the best friend of Lucy and actually her classmate who sat not too far from Juvia. She loved books so no wonder that she could get along well with Lucy, both of them were worm books. However, Juvia couldn't hide her curiosity when seeing Levy's arm being bandaged, small scars, bruises and plasters at some spots of her skin and face.

"How you could get those, Levy?" Juvia asked spontaneously, pointing at the scars all over the petite girl's body. Levy lifted her face up from the dictionary she was reading and hesitantly looking at Juvia. Meanwhile, Loke and Lucy who joined in the same table exchange worried glance knowingly.

"B- but, you don't need to tell Juvia if you don't want to" Juvia abruptly said after realizing the sudden change of Levy's mood and also the uncomfortable. Unexpectedly, Levy smiled.

"Thank you, Juvia-chan. But it seems unfair if everyone else know while you don't," she said, preferring Lucy and Loke. "To put it simply… well, my father did it."

At once, Juvia's jaw dropped open. "Your father… but— then that's mean—…"

"It's up to you to think of it. But actually he's a kind dad, believe me. He's just… err, depressed for some reason." Levy shrugged without letting smile fall from her face before sunk back into her book. Juvia knew that Levy didn't want to discuss about it any longer so she just let out a sigh of defeat.

"Juvia gets it…"

The new student then sunk into her chosen book again. It was a boring book actually and Juvia regretted her choice. She took short glance toward her other friends. Loke in front of her reading a book about astrology with serious manner that somehow Juvia found cute; the way his eyebrows furrowed when reading the book. Levy next to him read a France dictionary and she also had a notebook and a pen ready in her hand, seemed like she was trying to translate something in France. Around her there were also mountain of thick books. It was amazing if Levy could finish all of them during this 'free' period which only lasted for about an hour and half. Beside Juvia, Lucy read a romance-tragedy novel. She said it was her reference for her own novel.

"Juvia excuses for a moment, bathroom." Juvia mumbled finally after couldn't hold the boredom any longer and stood up.

"Want me to accompany you? I'm not sure you know the way to restroom yet." Lucy offered that was replied by a grateful nod from the blue-haired girl.

"Sure, thank you."

"Want me to come as well? It's rather dangerous for two ladies to—…" Loke said enthusiastically and quickly stood up before Lucy shouted at him,

"Hell NO!"

***Fairy**Tail***

"Can you tell Juvia now?" asked Juvia suddenly as they walking along the corridor.

"What?" Lucy asked confusedly.

"It looks like our classmates don't know about it yet. But what's the only daughter of Heartphilia family doing in here?" Juvia narrowed her eyes. Lucy stopped her track from Juvia's question. Juvia immediately stopped too and stared at Lucy who had her head bowed.

"Well, I can ask you the same question. What's the only daughter of Loxar family doing here?" Lucy asked back with innocent smile plastered on her face. Juvia slightly twitched.

"Juvia has her own reason."

"So do I." Lucy stated and continued walking. "Loxar family, the richest family aside of government families in Oak city. How come the princess ended up here?"

"Juvia wants to ask the same thing. Heartphilia, one of ten richest families in Oak city. Why is its princess doing here? Study in this small school even told the others that she was from Crocas." Juvia said coolly and followed Lucy walking.

"I'm doing a small rebel against my father," Lucy said finally, rather surprising Juvia. "Then I decided to start my own live. I go to a place where no one knows the true me. And here I am. In a small lovely city called Magnolia. People here are so obvious about things called government and national economic. They have no idea about the so-called respectful and honored families, government and anything related to it. This place suits me well." Lucy turned to face Juvia with bright grin across her face. Juvia couldn't help but grinned back.

"As for Juvia…" she started. Lucy eagerly listened to her. "…she was treated like a real princess back at her previous school. But it was a few months ago."

"So, what happened next?"

"Silly things happened, something about jealousy and crazy fangirls. Juvia was being bullied. On the edge of despair, master Makarov found Juvia and invited her here."

"That's relievable." Lucy commented.

The track toward bathroom then being accompanied by silence. Until Lucy's phone rang just after they get into the ladies restroom.

"Oops, sorry Juvia. Mr. Crux the Librarian said he needs my help. How strange, he actually could ask Levy for a help, too," Lucy said apologetically. Juvia nodded in understanding.

"That's okay, Lucy. I remember the way back to library already."

"Alright, then." Lucy nodded and started her track to the other way. But after a few steps she looked back at the blue-haired girl who was still staring at her direction.

"Err, Juvia…" Lucy called slowly. "Could you please not telling anyone about this 'Heartphilia' thing?"

Lucy's voice sound so soft, even like pleading. Juvia heard that and nodded her head in understanding.

"Of course."

***Fairy**Tail***

After the 'free-time' they have the lunch-break time. Lucy and Levy invited Juvia to the cafeteria and Loke followed behind. Nervousness attacked Juvia again as they promised her to introduce her to their friends from other classes.

"W- Will it be okay?" Juvia stuttered as being pulled by both Levy and Lucy.

"Of course it will, silly Juvia. What makes you think it won't?" Lucy giggled.

"Erm… from the way the whole class acted when Juvia mentioned she was from Phantom Lord. Juvia thinks it won't be too much different with other students." Juvia muttered. Lucy and Levy exchanged glance at this. Deep down they actually worried about the same thing as well.

"Don't worry, Juvia. They just don't know the real you. Believe me." Loke reassured her as patting her shoulder gently. Levy nodded in agreement enthusiastically.

"That's true. Just be yourself and be a sweet girl. That way, everything will be fine despite the fact you were a Phantom Lord's student." Levy said.

"Alright…" Juvia mumbled and let herself being pulled by the petite girl.

Fairy Tail Free School might be smaller than any other schools. But it didn't mean that that school was worse than the others. It was the opposite. The school building was so clean and well-good taken care. It will surprise the society who thought that free-school was inhabited by delinquents or rascal who had no idea what 'rule' or 'manner' was. The school facilities also were better than expected. Juvia heard that it was because of master Makarov who create this school, just how kind that old-man was.

The four companions were in the cafeteria then. It wasn't too big but it could receive the whole school at least. Juvia followed Lucy and Levy to get some food while Loke took his track toward the vending machine. The food wasn't as good as Phantom Lord's but Juvia still liked it. Lucy then spotted her friends at one table and immediately dragged the new student there.

"Hey, guys. She's Juvia, the new student in our class." Lucy told them as they were close enough.

"N- Name's Juvia Loxar. N- nice to meet you." Juvia stuttered nervously.

"Nice to meet you too, Juvia. Please, take a seat." Said a red-haired girl and patted a chair beside her to let Juvia sat there. "I'm Erza Scarlet. I'm the third grader." The red-haired girl added.

"N- nice to meet you, Erza-senpai*" Juvia stuttered again and took her seat. Lucy and Levy mimicked Juvia and sat side-by-side. Meanwhile Erza waved her hand impatiently.

"Put off the honorific, please. Junior or senior isn't such a big deal for us here." Erza said with a smile.

"Hello, Juvia. I'm Mirajane Strauss. I'm also the third grader. It's a pleasant to meet you." Said a girl beside Erza with long and wavy white hair. Her face looked gentle that made Juvia instantly liked her.

"Pleasant to meet you too, Mirajane." Juvia smiled.

"Hey there, name's Cana Alberona. Also a third grader." Another girl with long and wavy chocolate-colored hair approached their table. She had a bottle in her hand which Juvia suspect wasn't an ordinary drink.

"Cana, you're drinking again?" Erza accused right after she saw the suspicious bottle Cana hold.

"My, my… don't be that strict, Erza-sama" Cana said with a smirk and took a sip from her bottle. "So, new transferred student, eh? Which school you're from?"

"Juvia was from Phantom Lord Academy." The blue-haired girl answered hesitantly. And she could imagine the way those three new girls reacted from her confession; Cana almost choked from her drink, Erza stopped her fork of cheesecake mid-way, and Mirajane's eyes widened in surprise and also… anger? No matter what those were, Juvia didn't like it.

"H- Hey. It's not as bad as it seems. Juvia is a sweet girl, believe me." Levy said, trying to melt the tension that suddenly occurred. The three looked at Levy as if asking for assurance. After Levy and Lucy nodded determinedly, they slowly calmed down.

"Is that so? That's good, then." Mirajane said with another warm smile plastered once again across her face. Juvia slightly sighed in relieved but, little did she know that everyone at their table were exchanging glance knowingly before silently looking at Mirajane in worry.

"Hey, girls. Can we join in?" Loke, who had approached their table with another blue-haired boy, asked. Lucy and Levy inwardly jumped in delight for Loke's presence which somehow melted the awkward tension between the girls.

"Sure, Loke, take a seat." Lucy answered and gave the boy her grateful smile.

"So, you're the new student?" asked the new boy with blue hair and a red tattoo across his face. Juvia nodded in respond.

"Nice to meet you, then. I'm Jellal Fernandez, third grader." Jellal shook Juvia's hand before taking a seat at one remained place.

"Nice to meet you, too. Juvia Loxar." Juvia responded.

Juvia learned how fun people she had lunch with. Though the numbers of cold stares she received still bothering her. For the first time since those past months, Juvia could feel happy once again, happy knowing the fact that she had friends around. She talked about many things with her new friends though those were some mere little things. She also learned the characteristic of each individual. Loke was a playboy-type guy and seemed so popular among the girls there. Juvia saw Loke winked seductively to every girls passed by and Juvia also saw the reaction Lucy made everytime Loke did that.

'_Somebody is having a crush on somebody_' Juvia snickered inwardly. And by look at how Levy giggled seeing her bestfriend and the playboy, Juvia knew that Levy also had a same opinion as her.

Jellal was a mysterious guy for Juvia, hard to be guessed. Erza was a strict girl, rather numb but somehow it made her 'charismatic'. Lucy and Levy were bubbly-type of girls so no wonder those two could get along well. Mirajane was a warm and kind girl, like an angel who could make everyone fell for her. And then Cana. Juvia liked this girl, too. She looked so carefree and loyal. She had some 'wild' side but that thing made her looked cool. Those were from the look though. That time Juvia had no idea at all the beyond those unique characteristics, each of them had a heavy burden or some wounds on their heart. It was deep within their heart, and they couldn't believe people around enough to share it.

"Sorry I'm late." A short-haired blonde approached their table with a tray of food in hand. Ashley grinned at Juvia, glad that the new student got more friends already.

"So, you've met my friends, Juvia?" the new-comer blonde said happily as taking a nearby chair for her own seat. Juvia smiled back at her.

"Good you're back already, Ashley. So, is there something interesting happening?" Erza asked.

"Nah, not really. Unless if I can find out where that Fullbuster guy is." Ashley muttered in annoy and took a bit of her sandwich. "He cut the class since this morning."

Erza sighed, "Gray again, huh? It seems we can't do anything about him. Well, anyway, I'll shift you in patrolling." Erza picked up her tray and be ready to go.

"Sure. But you're not gonna doing anything after all." Ashley shrugged. Erza merely nodded and started her track away after picking a bamboo blade Juvia just realized was rested beside the red-haired girl's chair.

"Juvia wonders, why are Ashley and Erza bringing… err, weapon?" Juvia couldn't help but asked after Erza went.

"You mean this whip and that bamboo blade? It's for doing our patrol." Ashley said cheekily.

"Well, you see, Juvia. In this school we have the so-called 'Security and Discipline Supervisor' or SDS." Levy started explaining after seeing the blank look Juvia gave. "Even the so-called free school has rules and those rules must be obeyed by the students. So then, one student from each second and third grade were chosen to be this SDS. They have a duty to control the students for not breaking the rule. You know, sometimes 'free-time' is definite wrong by mostly students. We suppose to use that period fro doing something useful for the future rather than playing around and cut the classes. That's also the job for SDS, controlling the rule-breakers."

"For SDS, violence is allowed, so we bring these 'weapon' along." Ashley smirked mischievously. "But of course still within the right limit. We need it after all, especially to face someone like that Gray Fullbuster." Ashley added with a growl.

"What's with him?" Juvia asked, suddenly showing her interest toward that certain dark-haired cold-guy.

"He's a real delinquent!" Ashley replied instantly. "He often cuts classes and sometimes dare to against us, SDS. Though he'd never done something worse than cutting classes, but I'm still itching to catch him and tie him on his chair so he will join every class."

"Yeah, that is true, Ashley. But little did we know the reason beyond his delinquent-manner." Mirajane commented.

"Sigh… that damn Gray. I feel sorry for him." Cana exhaled in sympathy before taking another sip of her drink. Levy and Lucy let out a similar sympathy sigh while Loke lowered his gaze. Jellal didn't give any important reaction and continued eating his lunch. Juvia wanted to ask what was wrong with Gray so badly. But she didn't want her new friends assumed her trying to sneak her nose deeper into someone else's problem. So she held her curiosity and kept her mouth shut.

Ten minutes before the bell rang, the door of cafeteria burst open, revealing a teen boy with salmon-colored hair. He scanned the whole room first before spotted Loke waving at him from their table.

"Oi, Natsu, over here!" Loke called. Natsu instantly walked to his direction, not bothering to pick any food or drink or to mind everyone's stares at him.

"I see you've been here already." Natsu grinned as approaching the table. "That ice-freak isn't joining with you guys again?" Natsu scanned the table and stared at the faces in the table. His grinned at once faltered as he saw Juvia among them, looking at him with the mixture of curiosity and worry.

"You know that Gray won't step his foot in this school at this time." Ashley replied, unaware of the now-freezing Natsu. The pink-haired teen's expression turned colder as looking at Juvia. Juvia slowly yelped, afraid of Natsu's sudden wrath.

"Natsu! That's rude staring at people like that!" Lucy accused as patting the scare Juvia to calm her down.

"Hey, Natsu. Let's sit down and eat. My treat?" Loke offered, much to melt the awkward tension.

"Nah, no need. I'll pass this time." Natsu excused harshly and immediately turned around, leaving the table in such a fast pace. The other just bewildered staring at his departure.

"What's with him? It's so rare of Natsu refuse free meal" Jellal raised an eyebrow though little did he know something wrong with Natsu.

"Hmph, that bastard. He even didn't acknowledge my presence here. Usually he will shriek like a girl if he sees me around." Ashley muttered but the other barely paid attention to her.

"Does Natsu hate Juvia?" Juvia worriedly asked her silent companions. Cana sighed while Lucy turned to face Juvia.

"It's not a hatred I think. More like, a spite toward Phantom Lord students, especially the girls." Lucy stated.

"Why?" Juvia turned more eager to know. Lucy exchange glance with the other as if asking for opinion whether she would tell the new student or not. After a while, Lucy opened her mouth.

"Well, it's not like you're nothing to do with it. But I think it's better if you know a little bit…" Lucy started nervously. "Okay, so… it's something like… you know, Natsu has a childhood friend named Lisanna. They both are very close, almost like a couple. Lisanna is a nice and fun girl. She was once a first grader student in this school."

"'_Was once'_? What happen to her?" Juvia asked, feeling something wrong.

"She is in a coma. About three months ago, she was being beat off by a bunch of students from Phantom Lord… brutally."

***Fairy**Tail***

Hhhhoooowwwww was it? Is it good? Is it bad? Here I'm learning to not making a story too rambling so the plot will be faster than my other stories. (I'll try my best to do so XC)

Maybe in the next chapter I'll focus on Natsu, maybe. Then where's Gray? Hmm, dunno yet. LoL. Let's just follow the flow, ok? XD

*-**senpai**: honorific used to address the senior.

Please leave a review. That will make my day, giving me new spirit to write and so on =D


	6. Chapter 5: Partner

Okay. It had been more than a month since I post the last chapter. I'm so sorry making you wait. I just got… err…, writer's block. But finally… eng ing eng… new chapter is here. Though I can't guarantee if it will be a good chapter.

Thanks to **xRainGirl**, **Tsukushi Tomoi** and **cata fullbuster **for the review. And also thanks to silent readers. As long as people click the title of my story and read it thoroughly, it's more than enough for me =D Thanks a lot guys… ^^

***Fairy**Tail***

**SOMEWHERE I BELONG**

**Disclaimer** : Fairy Tail is fully not mine. Hiro Mashima legally owns it.

**Warning** : Hiatus, OOC, Erros spelling and Grammar (*I'm so sorry for that).

***Fairy**Tail***

Chapter 05: **Partner**

"Be- Being beaten off? By the students from Phantom Lord?" Juvia exclaimed in surprise. Her eyes wandered to each face in the table to reassure the truth of the information. Until finally Juvia spotted tears in Mirajane's eyes. The new student gasped slowly and immediately saw everyone's attention were on the white-haired girl.

"It's my entire fault." Mirajane muttered. Though she sounded strong and tough but if they listened to her carefully, then they would find out that she was faking the toughness. Cana who was the closest of her immediately rest her hand on Mirajane's shoulder and patted it gently, soothing. While the other just could look at the mourning girl in sympathy.

"It's not, Mira. It's theirs. Oh, if you would let us revenge on them." Cana comforted. Mira just replied with a weak smile.

"No, no need to, Cana. But still, if I'd never participated in that audition."

"Nonsense, Mira. Everybody have their own right to do too, no? Just give all the blame to those bitches." Loke spoke, not in the flirty-manner, but he kept winking at the white-haired beauty.

Juvia just wanted to ask what they were talking about when suddenly the bell rang loudly, announcing the end of break time. What a bad timing.

***Fairy**Tail***

The rest of the day went normally for the Fairy Tail Free School students, but not for the certain new student. Juvia was still unused to the system where she got more 'break' a.k.a 'free' times than she usually had. Her class was studying 'in the proper way' for the half of the day only. However, Juvia was still feeling exhausted from the day. It might be because of many events that squeezed her emotion during the morning; for being treated like an enemy and such a commotion. She also couldn't sweep away her curiosity about the girl named Lisanna. But she decided to not asking farther. She didn't want people think that she was a sly girl who liked to stick her nose deeper into someone else business.

Since lunch, neither Natsu nor Gray back to the class. Juvia had found out that Gray was in the same class as her. She had heard from Ashley that both of them were having a same hobby; skipping classes. So Ashley was sure that both of them were playing around somewhere, ignoring the school. Despite they acted like a rival; bickering in every opportunity, but they could be quite cooperative in the thing called skipping classes. But Juvia somehow felt bothered by it. She was afraid that Natsu refused to enter the class because of her presence. Juvia told her new three friends about it and they said it was all okay although Juvia couldn't think the same, yet.

Juvia was also feeling disappointed since Gray didn't attend the rest of the class. Now her opportunity to know him more in her first day of school gone.

***Fairy**Tail***

The next day, her second day of school. Everything turned better. Her classmates started to act nicer to her though Juvia still could tell a bit of reluctance from them when they talked to her. Ashley, Lucy, Loke and Levy were loyally accompanied her during school and Juvia was feeling so grateful from that. Juvia was also feeling so happy because that day Gray came to the school although he appeared very late; at the third period. And he did nothing much but sleep on another corner of the classroom near the window; his seat. Natsu was there also though he still acted as if Juvia didn't exist.

"Alright, class. For the project I've told you, I'll assign you in pair and on top of that, I'll do it by myself." Said Evergreen, their Biology teacher. The whole class groaned for the information, whether for them having a troublesome project of because the pair would be decided by Evergreen herself, or might be both.

"Shut up, will you, Brats!" Evergreen shouted as hitting the desk with random thing she held—today was a board eraser. At once the class turned quiet and Evergreen smirked in triumphant. "Good. Now, if you allow me, let me start arranging the pair. First is… Araina Mufler and… Qubora Werr. Then,"

It continued for some minutes. Some pairs had been made. Juvia noticed that Lucy partnered with Loke, Levy was getting partnered with a boy named Noel Ilore, and Gray with Ashley—which Gray didn't pay attention to it for he was still sleeping while Ashley shrieked hysterically about her project that would be surely failed if she paired up with Gray. Mentally Juvia felt disappointed. Every good friends she had for now had been taken by somebody else. Especially, she was envy the pair Gray-Ashley.

"Then, Juvia Loxar…" Evergreen's voice reached Juvia, making the latter focus her attention back to the teacher. Nervously waiting who would be her partner. "…the new student, eh? Well, I think it'll be the best if I pair you with…" Evergreen's eyes scanned the absence list downward. The class suddenly fell silent, a strange and tense silent, as if they were expecting something bad was going to happen. Juvia bit her lower lips in anticipation for not shrieking or anything. Somehow she knew that something bad was really going to happen to her. She saw Evergreen smiled—but for Juvia, it was a sly smirk.

"…Natsu Dragnell."

"WHAT?"

"EHHH?"

Those two words broke the awkward silence among the students. Juvia felt as if she was going to faint while at his desk, the rosy-haired boy stood up furiously.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? There's no way I'd be her partner! No way in the hell!" Natsu instantly yelled in protest. Juvia stared at him with saddened look. She actually didn't mind be Natsu's partner, that's mean she could be closer and who knows she could melt his heart a bit. But seeing the boy reaction, Juvia should have aware of it. She knew that Natsu somehow hated her. The other students stared at the furious boy nervously. For years, they had never seen a Natsu Dragneel this angry. Even Gray watched Natsu protested in rage. He was being awaken by the commotion happened earlier and was smart enough to understand the situation.

However, Evergreen threw the eraser and accurately landed on Natsu's temple.

"NO bad word in my class, young man. And what's the matter with your pair? It's my decision and it's final. You're not allowed to protest and I forbid you to change your partner. Even if you kneeled in front of me and kiss my foot, I won't change my decision, get it?"

Everyone gulped. Juvia's skin produced cold sweat in a quite number. Lucy, Loke, Ashley, Levy stared at the new now-frightened student in pity but deep down they agreed Evergreen's decision. Who knows that through this project they would be closer? Meanwhile, Gray's and other student's gaze were on Natsu who was trembling in anger, still standing.

"Alright. And about the project, I'll give you time until October which mean you have less than twenty days to accomplish it." Evergreen announced and another protesting groan was lowly heard. "You're free to choose the theme as long as it has to be one of the materials we've learn in first grade. And remember. You have to work in team, not individually. I'll record which group do the project well and which one is not. Don't ask me how for I have my own way." Evergreen snickered seeing her shivering student before walked out of the class.

After Evergreen vanished from sight, every pair in the class started chattering about their project theme. Except for Ashley-Gray pair where Ashley was still feeling annoyed by the fact that she got Gray as partner whom she doubt would be cooperative enough. Meanwhile, Gray was nonchalantly continued his slumber. There was also another pair that didn't start the conversation yet. One was still feeling afraid to ask the one talk and mentally cried for her misfortune while the other one was still furiously trying to forget the project and the fact he was being paired by whom. He didn't even care about the project. The pair was abso-bloody-lootely; Natsu-Juvia pair.

***Fairy**Tail***

"Someone, please kill Juvia…" whined the blue-haired girl to whoever heard her. Lucy and Levy sweatdropped seeing the desperate Juvia.

"Come on, Juvia. It isn't that bad, right?" Levy tried to convince which the latter return with a sigh.

"Natsu doesn't even want to talk with Juvia. He acts as if Juvia isn't there. How it's supposed to be 'not bad'?"

"Once you know Natsu you'll find out that he was actually a kind guy" Lucy said soothingly.

"…and rather annoying, too. Don't forget that" Ashley added.

"He even doesn't give Juvia chance to know him better. He has hated Juvia for the reason Juvia even cannot understand!" Juvia said, almost yelling.

"Actually, it's understandable enough." Lucy murmured softly which wasn't being noticed by the other.

The four girls were on their way home. They had the same route for the first block but would be separated in the next block. Lucy and Ashley weren't with their parent. They rent a small apartment in two different places. Levy lived with her father on the east side of the city. No one had ever gone to her home since Levy said that her father always wasn't in the 'good mood'. Juvia sometimes felt so hard to let Levy go—especially to her own house—for every morning Juvia would find her with some bruises or scar all over her body. Even though Levy said that it was all okay with her bright-wide smile but still, if she could, Juvia would prefer to kidnap Levy and bring her to her own rented house.

Juvia unstoppably wondered about misfortunes happened with her friends in Fairy Tail Free School. Levy with her abusing, Natsu with his hatred and Mirajane with her guilt. Juvia knew that everybody in that school had their own problem which might be heavier than normal people had. Juvia knew that Ashley hid something for she bothered to move so far away from Edolas to Magnolia _alone_. Beyond his flirty behavior, Juvia could tell that Loke had his own problem too. And Juvia doubted that Lucy ran away from her big house just because of a 'small' rebel. Jellal and Erza seemed having some personal problem too. But, aside of them, Juvia was more concerned about Gray. Juvia couldn't believe that the boy who had gently help her years back then now turned into a cold guy. There should be a reason beyond it and Juvia knew that it was almost unbearable. She could tell from his eyes. Once she saw it she found sadness, anger and longing mixed in it.

"Mirajane?" Juvia called as seeing a glimpse of long-wavy silver-colored hair in front of a fruit shop. The latter looked up toward the caller and smiled kindly seeing Juvia approached her.

"Hello, Juvia. On your way home?" Mirajane asked.

Juvia nodded, "Yeah. You too, Mirajane?"

"Well, I'm not going straight home. I have someplace to visit first.

"Where?"

"Hospital." Mirajane smiled, a small tinted of sadness was clear in it while showing some fruits she just brought. "Want to come?" the older girl offered which Juvia responded by spontaneously nodding.

Juvia turned her true destination to the opposite direction. Mirajane brought her to the only hospital in the city and also the biggest building in that city.

"Who is being hospitalized?" Juvia asked out of curiosity as they were on the halfway toward the Magnolia Hospital.

"My sister, Lisanna. Remember we told you back at lunch, right?" Mirajane answered casually.

Juvia let out a slow 'oh' before lowering her gaze. She knew a bit about this Lisanna girl. A poor girl who being the victim of Phantom Lord students' arrogance. Juvia couldn't help but feeling guilty though she knew well that Mirajane didn't blame her at all.

"Err… actually…" Juvia started hesitantly. "What had happened to Lisanna?"

Mirajane's pace slowed. She didn't speak for some minutes that made Juvia regretted asking the question.

"Well…" Mirajane said as lifting her face up, back to her normal pace. "It will be rather hard if I didn't start it from the very beginning. So, do you mind listening to it, Juvia?" Mirajane smiled reassuring. Juvia nodded determinedly.

"Do you know an audition that being held by a magazine about three months ago in this city?" Mirajane asked which Juvia practically nodded again to respond.

"Yeah. It was quite a news. Almost every girl in Juvia's school wanted to pass the audition." Juvia commented. If she remembered it right, the magazine that held the audition was a really famous one all over the Fiore. That time, that magazine was looking for a talented young girl for being the new model of their magazine. And all girls in Fiore were excited to join in. Include the students of Phantom Lord.

"I was included as one girl who tried her luck there. I came to the audition place and luckily I passed until I came to the finale." Mirajane said with a hint of proud in her voice. Juvia gaped in admiration but to be honest, she could somehow expect that because Mirajane was having an attractive physical look. However, Mirajane's expression turned gloomier and Juvia knew that the 'climax' part was going to start.

"I was confident to be the winner once I reached the finale. Finally I could make our life easier by being a model. You know, the honor for a model is quiet something, right? But… well, that was what I think."

"Then, what happen?" Juvia urged to know more. Mirajane showed a sad smile.

"Unfortunately, my rival in final was a sly girl. She wanted to win so she threat me to give up with the contest. I refused because I—honestly—need to win. In the end, after getting tired threatening me, she used her trump card."

Suddenly, Juvia could tell where this conversation was going.

"She used violence?" Juvia said hesitantly which was being responded by a nod from Mirajane.

"A day before the final, she gave me the last warning but still, I ignored it. Until in the said day, I couldn't find Lisanna around the studio while she promised me to come and watch. I got a really bad feeling then she showed me a video of Lisanna being tied and kept inside a building not too far from where we were that time, telling me that Lisanna was with her friends. She said she wouldn't give Lisanna back unless I disqualified myself. I did it finally after she said that she wouldn't guarantee my sister's safety. At the same time I heard Lisanna's scream through the video as she was being kicked out there." Mirajane told her story. Anger was still clear in her shaky voice. Juvia's mind, meanwhile, was floating to somewhere else. She was trying to remember something.

"Wait, Mirajane. Don't tell me that the girl threat you was Angel?" Juvia asked carefully.

Mirajane instead smiled brightly. "Of course she was. She had been a model for Sorcerer since then, right?"

"She is a Phantom Lord student," Juvia stated in guilty. Mirajane just replied with a small smile.

Again, silence lingering both girls. In Juvia's mind, image of a girl with short white hair and dark-chocolate eyes appeared, sly smirk played on her face. Juvia knew that girl. Angel was a popular girl at Phantom Lord, especially after she managed to get a contract with Sorcerer months ago. She was indeed a beauty but her attitude was like a bitch toward people she considered 'lower' than her. So Juvia didn't feeling surprise at all knowing Angel could do something harmful like that to Mirajane.

Juvia blinked as she realized that they had been in the cool hospital hall. Mirajane guided her to second floor where Lisanna's room was. Juvia felt a bit nervous again when Mirajane pointed a door which being their destination.

"Let's come in, Juvia." Mirajane invited. The latter stepped inside.

That room was supposedly filled by two patients. But for the time being, only one bed occupied near the window. There laid an unconscious white-haired girl wearing a mask to supply oxygen and a rubber-tube of infuse was stuck to her thin arm. A monitor that recorded her heart-rate was behind the bed. It showed how Lisanna's heart beat in harmony but still, low. She looked a lot like Mirajane except that girl was paler and smaller.

"Hello Lisanna, I come again." Mirajane said warmly to the sleeping girl. No respond, Mirajane aware of that could only sigh and place the fruits she bought on a table. "It had been like this for three months. She was in a coma and won't wake up."

"What… what did they do to… to Lisanna exactly?" Juvia dared herself to ask when she saw some fading bruises on some spots of Lisanna's milky-white skin.

"We never know the truth…" Mirajane murmured. "The only thing we know that she was being beaten by a bunch of teenagers. When Natsu finally found her, Lisanna was already alone and unconscious, coma."

"Natsu?" Juvia's ears perked up hearing the name of a person she had problem with now.

"Unknown to me, he had eave-dropped my conversation with Angel back then and took his own initiative to look for Lisanna. He did find her but still, it was late already." Mirajane sighed sadly after telling her story.

Juvia left speechless. She stared at the face of sleeping Lisanna in pity.

"Lisanna and Natsu were so close to each other, right?" Juvia stated finally, just to get something to get them out from the silence.

Mirajane giggled, "They're not only close. They're inseparable. They acted like they're a married couple. That's so cute."

Juvia giggled as well imagining Natsu and Lisanna acted like a child playing mommy-and-daddy. It was indeed cute and adorable.

'_So, no wonder that Natsu was so mad. And no wonder that he hates Juvia._'

"Oh, nee-chan. You're here already?" said a husky voice behind them. Mirajane smiled toward the voice's owner.

"Yes, Elfman. How is your job?"

Elfman replied with a slight shrug and his eyes spotted Juvia. Juvia looked back. The said Elfman was a guy with a big feature. His hair was spiky and the color was same as Lisanna's and Mirajane's. It took Juvia not long to notice that Elfman was Mirajane's another sibling.

"Oh, Elfman, this is Juvia. The new transferred student I told you yesterday. And Juvia, this is Elfman, my little brother." Mirajane introduced. In a slight moment Juvia saw Elfman flinched as hearing Juvia's name. Guess Mirajane also told that Juvia was once in Phantom Lord.

"Is that so? Nice to meet you, Juvia." Elfman said and smiled rather awkwardly.

"N- Nice to meet you, too…" Juvia stuttered. She didn't dare to look at the other's eyes.

"So, Elfman. What do you bring?" Mirajane asked, breaking the tense silence. Her little brother showed a plastic bag from a supermarket.

"Dinner?" Elfman stated hesitantly. Mirajane smiled kindly in return.

"Oh, thank you Elfman. Now I don't need to make food." Mirajane said and approached her brother, taking a good look of the bag. "You want to join us, Juvia?" Mirajane offered but Juvia quickly shook herhead. She knew her place and she noted that Elfman only had two boxes of food. How rude of her if she still dared to ask for her part.

"No, thank you, Mirajane. It's already a bit late. I need to get home soon." Juvia excused politely before nodded to the siblings and disappeared through the door.

***Fairy**Tail***

I'm somewhat unsatisfied with this one. I still remember that I told you if in the 'next' chapter I'll focus in telling about Natsu and all of his problems. Seems like I didn't do as what I said. Hope you like this chapter somehow. So please leave a review so I'll know what should I do next =)

Again guys, I'm so sorry for the late update and I'm afraid to make you wait again because the 6th chapter of **Somewhere I Belong** is 0% in process *oops*


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